Fullmetal Thunder
by Thief of Black Winged Hearts
Summary: Ed gets turned into a Pikachu! Searching for Al on the other side of the Gate he meets Ash in the world of Pokemon. Will he ever see his brother again? Also, Ash's Pikachu died, and he struggles to recover from the loss of his partner. Rated T for swearng
1. Enter the chibi!

The cat is baaaaaaack! Its been a while since I last put anything on fanfiction, and I apologize to my readers. I have been sick lately with the dreaded mono that has been running rampant round my school. I missed A WEEK! I'm so going to die when I go back.

This story is an example of my main goal in life; to do the unexpected. I mean, FMA and Pokemon? Who is even going to read this? By I want to go boldly where no writer has ever gone before (I watched some Star Trek when I was sick) and try new things. And so, here I am, writing a story about two people trying to recover from troubled pasts. Feel the angst!

WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH AND SOME DARK THEMATIC MATERIAL. Which basically means, if you can't take a sad story, go elsewhere.

I don't own this. I've said it before, but I just felt like saying it again. Oh, and I apologize for any spelling or grammar errors in the story, I'm horrible about some of that stuff. Thank god for spell check!

So, without further ado...

Chapter One

"ALPHONSE!!!"

In an abandoned apartment building somewhere in a dingy city, a cry echoed across the grungy night. In this rundown section of town, not many people were there to notice. The alleyways were the cleanest places to be, for the streets accumulated more dirt and filth than the covert shadows of a crooked alleyway. A mangy old flea bitten cat, startled by the sudden loud noise, gave a crackling hiss and scurried away into the night. Of the others who noticed the outburst, which included the squatter sitting on the doorstep and the three burglars counting their cash on the floor down, well, they just shrugged and went about their business. It wasn't unusual here, to hear a sudden cry in the middle of the night. Gunfire was as just a frequent sound.

The three burglars sitting around a small, rickety, poorly-lit table looked up again as another piercing scream filled the night, this time accompanied by the sound of manic laughter.

"Hey Tom," said one, a cigarette hanging off his greasy lips, "Jus' who are we sharin' da building wid? Don't member nuthin getting passed the door last night."

Tom grunted, brushing his greasy hair back from his dark eyes. "I dunno, but whoever they are, they sound like a complete psycho."

The third member of this little tryst, a man by the name of Nate, asked, "Should we kick em out, boss?"

Tom considered this for a moment, his eyes collapsing in on themselves as they crinkled in deep thought. "Nah," he decided, swiping the cigarette off the first man's lips and taking a deep drag from it. "Let's get the job done, boys, that's all that matters."

The other two men nodded, taking in the wisdom of their boss's words, and went back to counting cash.

On the floor above them a boy slumped in defeat, bound to a straight backed wooden chair. His golden eyes were lost in a sea of pain as he gazed down at the large suit of armor by his feet. Or, what had once been a large suit of armor, and was now many pieces of twisted metal. On the very top of the mountain of debris was a spiked helmet and a piece of armor inscribed with a strange runic circle. The circle had a large scratch running across it, cutting the circle almost in half. Suddenly, a drop of liquid fell down upon it, running down the scratch until it disappeared in the faint light of the room. Blood, or a tear, perhaps.

The apartment around him was trashed. Half the ceiling was caving in and a few of the walls looked like they were about to do the same. No personal possessions littered the room, not even a couch. The room was bare with the exception of the chair the boy was tied to. Bloodstains coated everything; the floor the ceiling, the walls, the chair… Fresh blood was coated on top of that, making the wood floor slick and shiny in the faint light. Somewhere in the background, a small piece of plaster fell with a muffled thump.

After all the screaming, it was oddly silent now. The only sounds to be heard were the harsh breathing of the golden eyed boy and the soft chuckles of the dark figure standing in the shadows.

"Well now, Fullmetal pipsqueak," said the figure, purple eyes gleaming in the light of a passing car, "What are we going to do? Widdle brother gone forever, can't bring him back this time." Manic laughter filled the room. The boy said nothing. His golden hair, encrusted with blood, hung over his face, shadowing his eyes. The boy was shirtless, his muscled torso showing so much abuse it was a surprise the boy was still alive. His right arm, although made of metal, also showed profound abuse, dinged and scratched with cut wires hanging out the side. His leather pants, though fairly intact, were soaked through with blood, dripping down from a wound on his temple, and positively flowing from the stab wound in his stomach.

The purple eyed figure, apparently tired of the boy's silence, launched across the dirty room and grabbed the boy's chin in a bone crushing grip. With a painful jerk, he lifted the boy's head, forcing eye contact.

The figure of the abuser was now revealed in the scant shadowy light coming from the streetlight shining outside the window. The person was a man, though abeit a very feminine one. He was dressing in a skintight purple outfit that wrapped around the upper part of his chest. Around his waist hung a skirt –like contraption, falling down to around the mid-thigh. On his hands were fingerless gloves and on his feet were ankle wrap braces, as are used in fighting. A bandana held back his long, spiky hair, sporting a triangle symbol as its motif. The eyes that had glowed purple in the dark were slitted like a cats, and the teeth bared in a menacing smile were pointed. Whatever this creature was, it wasn't human. In fact, the man's eyes shone with an inhuman glee at the boy's pain and suffering. Insanity was being radiated like poisonous nuclear waste, seeping into the air and coiling around the still silent boy.

"Well?" said the man, glaring down at the boy and giving his a sharp shake. With his face tilted upward, his golden eyes were utterly unfocused, showing no sign he even realized where he was. A lone tear trailed down his cheek. The purple-eyed man sneered, dropping the boy in disgust. Eyes narrowed in anger, he shouted, "Answer me! Just look at you, the great Edward Elric. The People's Alchemist cowed so low that he can't even muster words! Well, I'm going to fix that!"

The purple man stalked around behind the boy. Transforming his hand into a blade, he slashed down and cut Edward's bonds. Without the ropes keeping him upright, the boy slumped forward, slithering from the chair and falling to his knees. Edward's sightless gaze fell downward, and found the scratched array on the scrap of metal that lay right between his hands. In a flash, his golden eyes filled with indescribable grief. "Alphonse," he whispered, "I failed you…"

"Get up, shorty," the tormenter barked, kicking the boy so hard he slammed into the wall of the cheap apartment, cracking the plaster. Edward gave a small cry of pain, leaning forward and coughing blood into his hands.

"I said **get up**!" the man screamed, spit flying from his mouth. "Get up and fight me, you worthless piece of trash. Don't you want to avenge your brother? I killed him. I KILLED HIM!" He threw back his head and laughed, long and hard like a scream in the night.

Edward paid him no mind. He only had eyes for the piece of metal, decorated with an array, that he held in his hand. The eyes, once so vacant, hardened till they resembled stone. A decision was reached. Slowly, painfully, the boy pulled himself to his feet, his hands never once letting go of the scrap of metal that was once his whole life. He straightened, standing on his own two feet. His head was held high, eyes no longed clouded or unfocused.

The man, though, thought the boy was going to fight him at last. He smiled, straightening to a fighting stance. "That's right, boy! I, Envy, the last of the Homunculi, will kill you and avenge the deaths of my fallen comrades. I shall cleanse the Earth of you inferior humans, I shall…" The man continued to rant, but Edward wasn't listening. Holding the piece of metal in his normal hand, he slowly brought his metal hand over, the pistons creaking from the strain. With a tap, he touched the metal, holding it between his two palms. Edward slowly closed his eyes.

At once, light flashed outward, whipping around like blue lightning. The man, paused in his rant, looked up to see something being etched in blood on the boy's chest. It was an array, a very complex one that almost looked like it had wings branching out from it. "What…what are you doing?" Envy yelled looking panicked. His prey was doing something unexpected. And when an Elric does something unexpected, you better watch out.

Surprisingly, Edward answered. "I'm going after Alphonse," he said simply, eyes still closed, hair whipping around his face as if blown by a high wind. "The array on the metal represents his soul. Using this, I'm going to try and find him on the other side of the Gate." Having said this, the array started to glow, and the light became much more intense.

Envy stood there in dumb shock. "But…wait!" he said, looking taken aback. "Aren't you going to try and kill me? I killed your brother." He said this simply, but just uttering those words made Edward's eyes snap open.

"Oh yes," said Edward. His eyes narrowed and in a flash, he had launched forward and stabbed Envy in the chest with the piece of jagged metal. Envy yelled and swore, struggling to break free, but Edward merely ground it in deeper. This time, it was Edward who was being matter of fact as he said, "I can use your sacrifice to open the Gate."

"Wha-!" was all Envy managed to get out before a flash of white light enveloped them both. Below their feet a whirling portal of black, hand-like shadows appeared in a circular opening.

Edward's face looked almost peaceful. "Ah, the Gate." He breathed, seeming content. Then, his molten eyes narrowed. "Alphonse, I'm coming for you. Just hold on." With that, the glowing light reached a peak of blinding brilliance, and the two people disappeared, leaving only the destroyed and bloody apartment behind.

Edward walked forward through the portal, ignoring the dark hands reaching for his body. Even when they passed right in front of his face, he didn't even blink. After many hours of research and two previous trips through the gate, Edward had discovered some of the Ancient Rules that governed the gate and its denizens. There were very few mortals who possessed a portion of the Rules. And Edward had literally paid in blood for one of them.

_Rule 1: The wraiths in the Gate feed of the fear of living human beings. If they are not acknowledged, then they cannot touch the soul of a living human being. But if even the slightest acknowledgement is made, then they will devour said living being. _

Noting the light at the end of the tunnel, Edward smiled a twisted bitter smirk that mocked his old sarcastic grin. Striding confidently on, he broke free of the dark tunnel and walked into the infinite white space of the Gate. And sitting cross legged in the space before the Gate was the Truth, complete with the arm and leg that had been taken in his first human transmutation attempt. Edward narrowed his golden eyes and gritted his teeth. He really wanted his arm and leg back. It was the second most important thing he wanted in this world. But Al came first, always, and Ed needed the Truth to send him to wherever Al was now.

"Hey, bastard," said Edward nonchalantly, striding up to the Truth with his hands in his ruined, blood-soaked pockets. "I'm back, and I want something from you."

"Back again, you ignorant fool," the Truth said, tilting its eyeless head.

"Well, I'm a little less ignorant this time," said Edward, some blood dripping into his eye. He absentmindedly wiped it away, noting that none of his wounds hurt particularly. Good. It helped him concentrate on the task at hand, which was bartering with the Truth. Nothing was guarantied to give someone a headache faster than trying to barter with the Gate or its lackeys. They all operated on an otherworldly set of rules not yet completely known to man.

"What do you desire?" asked the Truth, grinning its Cheshire grin. "You haven't come here for your brother's body, so what do you want?"

Edward squared his shoulders. Okay, deep breath in…"I want to follow my brother to wherever he's gone. And I have payment for you."

"All right, let's see it then," said the Truth, floating upside-down while watching Edward's every move. Ed gave a small shudder. The Truth was just plain creepy sometimes.

"Give me a second, I just need to summon it," said Edward, rubbing his head absentmindedly. Squatting down, he began to draw a transmutation circle with his own blood. It was a simple one, really, the alchemic equivalent of a key. But drawn in blood in Gate territory, it gave the circle power. A lot of it. Finishing up, Ed touched his hands to the circle and it began to glow. Standing back, Edward watched with loathing eyes as Envy rose from the ground. He looked mad as hell, and as soon as he had a formed mouth to speak with he began yelling abuse at Edward, spitting and shouting and struggling against the bonds of light that held him in place.

"Here we are," said Edward, wiping his forehead on the back of his human hand. "One Homunculus, as payment to pass through the Gate unharmed."

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Envy screamed thrashing wildly about while trying to free himself. His purple eyes were wide with homicidal rage. "YOU BASTARD, YOU INFERIOR LITTLE WORM, YOU RAT, YOU…"

"He is kinda loud, but surely he's worth something," said Ed enticingly to the Truth.

"Hmmm…" said the Truth, thinking.

"WHAAAAAAT!" screamed Envy, who was now beginning to foam at the mouth.

The Truth began to nod. "Fine," it said in its genderless voice, "I'll grant your request."

Edward sighed in relief, shoulders slumping. "Hey, tha-" Ed began his thanks, but was cut off by the Truth whirling through the air, slamming his foot into Ed's temple, knocking his backwards into the open doors of the Gate.

And so, an epic journey begins…

Well...you like, you no like? I'll update the second chapter next week. Review me :)!


	2. Ash's angst and Mew helps out

Hi, peeps! Here is chapter two, as promised, to the two or three people reading my story. I thank you, two or three people! It makes me happy that SOMEONE likes my story!

Ed: God, no one likes it so why are you posting it at all?

Me: Shut up, I can do what I want to! It's my story!

Ed: About ME!

Ash: Hey, why aren't I in this yet?!

Me(shouting): GOD, WAIT YOUR TURN!!!

Envy(randomly popping out of nowhere): I WILL RULE THE WORLD!

(massive sweatdrops)

Anyway, I don't own this, yadda-yadda-yadda, I'll just let you read the chapter now...yeah.

Chapter Two

It was a fairly quiet morning in Pallet Town. The sun had just begun to peek over the tree tops, and the Pokemon were beginning to wake. The flowers in the meadow seemed to brighten, their full glorious color returning in the light of day. A flock of Pidgey burst into song, flying directly into the rising sun. All was well in Pallet Town…except for one slamming door in the house of Ash Ketchum. Ash, being the subject of much gossip as their local celebrity, was noted by several people to be seen storming out of his house in a state of frustration.

Ash Ketchum had been the source of talk in the tiny village for some time now. He was a famous trainer, having traveled the land and competed in many prestigious Pokemon tournaments. They were all quite proud of him for making a name of their tiny town. You would often see him in his funny blue outfit (with many different varieties) with his red baseball cap on. Even is he wasn't wearing that ridiculous outfit, he could still be recognized by the little yellow Pikachu that always rode on his shoulder. That Pikachu had been his first Pokemon, and the two had been inseparable since the day they first met. You couldn't find a closer trainer and Pokemon, the villagers would always say with a smile.

That is, until Pikachu had died.

The death of his partner, Pikachu, had almost killed Ash. His two friends Brock and Misty had found him in the middle of the night trying to drown himself in the lake. If Misty hadn't been picking up some weird signals from him and decided to follow him, he might have died. By the time her water Pokemon pulled him out Brock had to do CPR to restart his heart and he spent three days after in the hospital. After that, he withdrew from everyone, not speaking to single living soul. Eventually, his friends gave up and went back to their respective homes. Even though a month has passed, Ash hadn't gotten any better, still as heartbroken as the day Pikachu had left him.

He stalked down the small dirt path now, head down, glaring sightlessly at the ground. Ash was a fairly tall fifteen years old, tall and lanky with a wiry frame. His black spiky hair was longer now, reaching the point where it brushed his shoulders. It was still as messy as ever, though, sticking up in all different directions. Gone were the bright blue coat and the red baseball cap. Now, he wore all black, a sign of mourning for his lost companion. Black cargo pants, a black t-shirt, covered by a black trench-coat that went down to mid-thigh. A large backpack was slung over one shoulder.

In contrast to his teenage body, his eyes were old. Ash's grey eyes were aged far beyond his years, filled with pain and loss. Shadows bred under them to match the one's in them, making it seem like he hadn't slept in a week. And there was something…something about the boy made it almost painful to look at him. It was like looking into a dark hole, and wondering if you will ever get out again.

"Ash, wait!"

Ash paused for a second, considering, then kept going. He didn't look back.

"Ash Ketchum, you get back here right now!"

Ash snorted, tossing his black hair to one side. That hadn't worked on him passed the day he turned twelve. What one earth made her think it would work now?

"Please!"

The voice was begging now. Ash paused in his step then stopped completely with a sigh. Hitching his backpack farther on to his shoulder, he turned around and waited for his mom to catch up with him.

"I should have gotten up earlier," he muttered to himself. Ash's mom came running up to him, stopping in front of him with a huff. She was pretty and slim, with big green eyes and long red hair. Catching her breath, she straightened up and put her hands on her hips.

"And just where do you think your going?" she asked sharply, giving her son an accusing stare. Ash simply shrugged.

"Somewhere," he replied, his eyes never once leaving the ground.

"And for how long were you planning to go 'somewhere'?" she asked, exasperated. Again with the shrug.

"Dunno. A couple days. Maybe longer." Ash said, now fiddling with his backpack strap.

"Well, I won't allow it," she said firmly, giving her son a worried glance. He didn't see it, however, because his eyes were still glued to the ground.

"Mom," he said quietly, "I have to go."

"Why?" she asked softly, although she had a sneaking suspicion what was coming next.

Ash took a deep breath. "This place is killing me," he said quietly. "There are so many reminders of…and I just can't get away. Mom," he said, looking up to catch her eyes for the first time in over a month, "It's suffocating me."

Ash's mom was taken aback by the pain she saw in her son's eyes. Maybe he was right. Maybe he should get away, away from all the things that reminded him of Pikachu. But…

"How can I trust you?" she asked brokenly. "How do I know you won't go off and do something…" A dark lake, a ride in the ambulance, watching her son wake up with eyes too dead to even cry. "Stupid," she finished softly, a tear running down her cheek.

"You really can't trust me," Ash said honestly, looking at the ground once more. "I can't even trust myself. But the fact is, if I stay here, I _will _do something stupid. So, you're just have to let me go do this."

Ash's mom took a deep breath in, "I'll let you go, as long as you promise to be safe and pack extra underwear."

Ash smiled. It had been a long standing joke between them. Whenever he went out on another journey, she would always make a point to remind him about his underwear in front of his friends. Just to tease him and make him feel awkward. But that memory brought too many others with it, and Ash shook his head to clear it.

"All right Mom, I will," he said with the faintest of smiles. And with that, he turned around and began to head for the woods, to the trail that lead up the mountain.

Ash's mom smiled, waving goodbye to her son until he was far out of sight. Only then did she let the tears building up in her eyes fall. "Please," she whispered, holding her hands over her heart. "Let him come home safe."

Edward groaned, blinking and rubbing his eyes as he regained consciousness from an untimely kick in the temple. "Damn Truth, can't even take a simple 'thank you'," he grumbled, straightening up and looking around to find…nothing. He was sitting in complete and total blackness, or more accurately floating in it.

"Whoa!" Ed yelped, jerking up into a sitting position. "Where the hell am I?"

"You're in my home. Hiya, it's nice to meet you!" came a voice from behind.

Edward jumped to his feet as best one can while floating in space, turning around. Floating behind him was a small, pink…mouse-like creature. It was about two feet tall, with a teardrop shaped body and a huge head. Although its features were primarily feline, it had large eyes, small frontal limbs, and large back legs almost like a kangaroo. Also, it had a tail the length of its body, drooping down and then curling up in front of it.

The creature cocked its head, looking at Edward with wide, blue eyes. "Wh-what are you?" asked Ed shakily, golden eyes wide with astonishment. "Are you some kind of chimera?"

The small pink creature did a small loop-de-loop of delight, letting out a few mewling sounds.

"No, I'm not a chimera," it said, though its lips did not move. "I'm Mew, guardian of the Gate of Life and Death. Nice to meet you Edward Elric!"

Having slightly recovered from the weirdness at this point, Edward moved a little closer. "How are you talking to me? Are you…some sort of denizen of the Gate?"

The…Mew seemed to giggle, zig-zagging back and forth a little in the black nothingness. "I'm using telepathy, talking to you in your mind! And yeah, I guess you could call me a Gate denizen. I'm more of a guardian, though, of the land that lies beyond this," Mew said, gesturing with a pink paw to the dark space around them.

"So this isn't the next world. Damn Truth, should've known it wouldn't do anything I asked," Edward fumed, gold eyes blazing with anger as he struck his metal fist into his normal palm.

"Oh, you'll get to the next world, all right," said Mew, for once seeming slightly less exuberant. "But before you go, I'm going to have to do…this!" In a blazing blur of speed, the Mew rocketed forward and touched its nose to Edward's head.

"Hey!" Ed exclaimed, reeling backwards…and then the changes began.

In a flash, Edward's whole body was enveloped in a painless pink flame. Edward opened his mouth, struggling to break free of the fire, but no words left his lips. Then, in a process that looked very much like transmutation, Edward began to disintegrate, the matter of his body dissolving. He turned to look at Mew, eyes managing to convey one plea for help before his body dissolved entirely, leaving behind a small golden flame. Floating over, Mew slowly approached, touching a single paw to the fire and closing its eyes.

"Hm," it said in its high, piping voice, "I see you have a heart full of courage and sorrow. You lost your mother and are currently searching for your brother. He is out there somewhere, I can tell you, if you only have the strength to face the journey ahead." Mew opened its eyes turning the fire between its paws. A black patch appeared on the flame, a place where the fire was dark and sinister. "You have been hurt," stated Mew, a single tear sliding from its blue eyes, "Hurt badly, and I cannot fix the wounds your body or your heart has received. I can only hope that time, the greatest salve, will heal your hurts and scars."

Mew let go of the fire and watched it hang in space, burning freely and brightly. He seemed to be considering something. He bowed his head a little, still seeming to speak to the fire. "You know, I lost a good friend recently, and he had a spirit much like yours." Mew nodded his head. "Yes, it was indomitable, and as pure as the first day it came into the world. I will miss him very much. But thinking of him, I believe I have found the form that suits you best."

Having reached a decision, Mew began to glow. Reaching out, Mew once again touched the fire with the tip of his nose. The golden fire burned higher and higher, slowing forming a shape. It had pointy ears, a jagged lightning blot tail, red cheeks, and was a deep golden color.

Edward Elric had been reborn as a Pikachu.

Mew hovered over, looking at the still sleeping Pikachu. Giggling, Mew noticed the tuft of fur that stuck up like an antenna on his head. But then Mew sobered as it looked over the rest of Ed's body. It was very much like other Pikachu in the general shape, but this body showed the marks of Ed's terrible past. Though his limbs were intact, terrible white scars ran down his right arm and left leg. They made a thin latticework of white, almost looking like fire. Ed also had a scar above one eye, from a wound that had never really healed since he received it. And on his chest, marked in white fur just below his chin was the Flamel, the symbol of a life reborn.

"Oh my friend, you have had a terrible life," Mew sighed. It paused, as if remembering something. "However, there is something I can do for you." Reaching down, Mew laid its muzzle on top of Edward's head, closing its eyes and breathing out upon the Pikachu. After a few seconds, it withdrew, wobbling slightly as if exhausted by all the work it had done. "There," Mew said wearily, "Now you go with my blessing."

Mew spoke once more to the sleeping Edward. "I'm sorry to say that when you arrive at the new world your wounds will return," said Mew sadly as they both glowed with pink light. "But don't worry."

In a flash of pink power the twosome disappeared, off into the great unknown.

"I'll send a friend your way."

The hour was growing late in the mountains. The sun was glowing red, about to start its journey westward. However, it could barely be seen past the veil of dark thunderclouds heading its way. A chill wind began to blow, whistling through the trees that loomed high into the mountain air. All of this was not helping poor Ash Ketchum, who was desperately trying to keep his small campfire going.

Having found a small clearing in the middle of the woods, Ash thought that he could stop there and rest for the night. He had done all the usual chores needed to set up a proper camp; cleared the area, gathered fire wood, found a stream and filled his canteen, and made a stone circle for his fire. It made him miss his friends a little because they used to do all these things as a team and usually had it done in ten minutes. By the time Ash had finished, it was so far past dinnertime Ash had given up on the idea and had started to lay his sleeping gear out. It wasn't like he ate all that much anyway. After Pikachu had died, he hadn't eaten enough to keep a Rattata alive, eating simply for the sake of keeping his mother happy.

The storm, however, had changed all plans. Rather than camping out, Ash would now have to head for a nearby Pokemon Center. It was something Ash had wanted to avoid, but he didn't have a choice. With an audible sigh, Ash dumped some water on his fire, effectively putting it out. Right then the raindrops began to fall, soaking Ash's sleeping bag. Quickly rolling it up and stowing it away in his backpack, Ash slung the thing over his shoulder and strode off down the path.

Ash looked around at the forest with a bitter smile on his face. He remembered this path. This is the route he had first taken the day he left Pallet Town to start his Pokemon journey. "I hate this," Ash muttered, kicking a mud puddle as he walked on. Why was he even out here in the first place? All he knew was that he couldn't bear to stay in Pallet a day longer. Far too many memories, and he couldn't even walk into town without getting a sympathetic glance. It killed him inside to walk around one of the happiest places of his life without Pi…without his partner. So he had left, only with the notion that he couldn't bear to stay.

A raindrop hit Ash square in the eye. "Ahhh, come on!" he grumbles, rubbing his stinging eye with a balled fist. Walking around without his hat on was different. He was so used to having the thing on his head that he often forgot it wasn't there. Like now, when he was walking around in the middle of the pouring rain. But it was one of those memories Ash couldn't stand, so he simply walked on with his head bent low.

From the corner of his eyes, Ash saw a flash of something. Ash lifted his head and squinted through the rain into the surrounding forest. Was that…a flash of pink he had just seen? No, he must be imagining it. He hadn't seen Mew in months. Simply shrugging, he continued on, occasionally scanning the forest that bordered both sides of the road.

There again! Ash whipped his head around stopping to scan the forest. His black hair was plastered to his head, but his grey eyes were squinted, trying to see through the dark and the rain. He had defiantly seen it this time. But what was Mew doing here? "Mew!" Ash called, glancing all around through the now pouring rain. "Mew, where are you?"

Suddenly, there it was. It was floating in the road ahead, not five feet away. Just looking at him. Then, in a blink it turned around and zoomed off into the night, following the muddy dirt path.

"Hey, wait," called Ash and the chase was on. He dashed forward, trying to keep track of where the little pink fur ball was heading. Every time he almost lost sight of it, it would be waiting for him as if it wanted him to follow. After a while, Ash figured he was being lead somewhere deliberately and picked up his pace. It wasn't often Mew wanted favors, but when it did it was _always_ important.

Finally Mew stopped, hovering right above the base of a huge tree. Ash stopped panting a little as he tried to catch his breath. Then, as he gazed at the broad limbs of this ancient oak, he stopped breathing all together. He r_emembered _this tree! This was the place where he and Pi…his partner had bonded for the first time. They had fought off a bunch of Spearow here, and his partner had taken a massive attack and saved him. Ash felt a lump grow in his throat.

"Why…why Mew? Why have you taken me here?" Ash choked out, still staring at the massive tree.

"_Hurry_," was Mew's only reply, and it began to circle the base of the tree, blue eyes wide with distress.

Walking forward slowly, Ash approached the base of the tree, eyes clouded with unwanted memories. As he got closer, he began to make out a yellow shape, sprawled on the ground near the tree trunk. Ash's heart leapt. Could it be? By some miracle, could it be that the last two months were only a terrible dream? Rushing forward, Ash was a blur of black trench coat as he raced for the shape on the ground, skidding to a halt on his knees.

Ash's hopes were crushed into a million pieces. It was a Pikachu, but it wasn't _his _Pikachu. It laid ominously still, the red stain of its blood spreading across the ground, aided by the rain. This Pikachu was wounded badly, blood oozing from its head and from its chest, coating its yellow fur. From the looks of it, it had been bashed around pretty badly and then stabbed through the stomach. The shallow rise and fall of its breathing was the only indication it was still alive.

Ash knelt there eyes dilated as memories assailed his mind. This was bringing it all back. That night…

_**No, don't die, Pikachu don't go! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME ALL ALONE!**_

Ash was brought back to the present violently when Mew smacked him upside the head with its paw. "_Save him. Please," _Mew begged, ears and tail drooping with worry. Ash took a deep breath, looking at that little yellow body. Could he really do it? Could he save this one, like he could save the other one?

Ash suddenly breathed out violently, eyes wide and face screwed up in determination. "Alright," he said, gently. "Alright." Quickly removing his coat, Ash carefully lifted the little creature from the base of the tree and wrapped it in his trench coat. Rising to his feet, he hugged the little bundle tight to his chest. Then, he dashed off in the direction of the Pokemon Center, almost missing the last thought Mew sent to him.

"_Thank you_."

The night was dark and cold, with the rain pounding down on Ash and the coat-wrapped Pokemon in his arms. Ash didn't notice the cold or the wet, simply leaning over the Pikachu to shelter it as he ran on. He had about two miles to go before he could reach the closest Pokemon Center. He only hoped the wounded creature in his arms could make it that far.

The path was muddy, making it hard for Ash to find his footing. Once, he slipped and fell, just managing to twist his body so that he didn't land on the Pikachu. He got right up, though, spitting out muddy water and blazing on with a determined expression on his face. His t-shirt was soaked through, clinging to his skinny chest. His backpack was plastered in mud, having been used to cushion his fall. But he kept going, legs churning as he gasped for air.

Did he really deserve that though? Ash thought this as he sped through the rain and the night. Mew's thanks, did he really deserve it? After all, he wasn't good at this, the business of saving Pokemon. He hoped that this one could hold on until they got to the Pokemon Center. He could feel its little heartbeat through the jacket, and it was starting to beat slower, its breathing growing shallower.

"Hey, little buddy!" Ash shouted as he sped through the rain, grey eyes narrowed in concentration. "Can you hear me? Come on, you have to stay with me! Keep your little god damn heart beating, alright?" On and on through the night, yelling encouragement at the little Pokemon until his voice was hoarse. They were so close to the Pokemon Center now, but the Pikachu was fading fast, he couldn't even feel its heartbeat anymore.

Finally, shining in the night, he could see the glowing lights from the Pokemon Center. Ash's face broke out into a smile and he put on a burst of speed, slamming through the glass doors and startling the poor Nurse Joy on duty. Ash collapsed to his knees.

"Help it!" he gasped, holding out the bundle to the nurse. "It's dying!"

Nurse Joy took one look at him, without a jacket, covered in mud and blood and water and narrowed her eyes. "Chansey!" she called sharply, hurrying out from behind the counter. Before he even realized it happened, Joy had the Pikachu on a stretcher and wheeled it into the operating room. Ash was left there blinking, wondering what happened.

Did he make it in time? Ash looked blankly down at his arms, where the little bundle once was. Looking up, he saw the operating room light on. Ash breathed a small sigh of relief, dragging himself off the ground and onto one of the waiting chairs that lined the wall. All he could do now was wait for the little creature to come out of surgery. Leaning his head against the wall, Ash closed his eyes and smiled a true smile for the first time in a while. He did it. He hadn't failed it, failed it like the way he failed Pikachu. That night, if only he had run fast enough, if only he had been more careful…

"Sorry little buddy," Ash breathed, leaning further back against the wall. "I guess I didn't make it in time." His mud-smeared face saddened and the boy in black went limp, asleep in a cold, plastic hospital chair. Remembering, dreaming, and waiting for the news to come.

* * *

MASSIVE ANGST FEST!!! Review, and I will post the next chapter!


	3. Gary Oak strikes back!

Hi, folks! Sorry I couldn't update last week, but I sold my soul to the theater for four months, and our upcoming production of Anything Goes isd going into its final stages. If any of you didn't catch what that meant, it just means I'll be busy for a while, and might not have the chance to update. In any case, I hope you like this chapter!

Chapter Three

_It was the night after Ash's fifteenth birthday. In celebration, Ash and Pikachu decided to take a camping trip through the mountains, taking the time to enjoy the warm summer nights. They would make their way over to the Professor's lab, just over five miles away, and then come back. It was a round trip of three days total. Ash had left all his other Pokemon there to recuperate from their latest tournament battles. He planned to spend a day with them, as he hadn't had the time to see all his Pokemon recently. So, he was alone except for Pikachu. _

_They had set out in the morning, yelling back at his Mom to call Misty and Brock to and them where he was going. He and Pikachu had made their way up the mountain, joking and laughing at each other. They had seen a group of Pidgey hanging around and chased them for a bit, just for the heck of it. At mid-day they had stopped at the mountain's peak, sharing an apple for their lunch. Pikachu loved apples and ketchup, gobbling the apple in seconds. After a brief rest to recoup and admire the view, they had started heading down the other side of the mountain._

_That's when things took a turn for the worse._

_A sudden summer squall rolled in, causing a sudden downpour to fall upon the two traveling companions. Ash had let Pikachu wear his hat, but bravely quested onwards in the face of the intense storm. He had told Pikachu he didn't want to be late, cutting down the time he could spent with his other Pokemon. He hadn't seen Charizard and Squirtle in a while, and he was anxious to get there so he could visit before they left._

_They were traveling through a narrow, rocky canyon when a strong gust of wind blew Ash's hat right off Pikachu's little head. With a cry, Pikachu had sprung after it, intending to catch it before it blew away and was lost forever. He knew how important the hat was to his master. Ash had shouted for him to come back, that they might lose each other in the dark, but the little Pokemon hadn't listened. After all, the hat had just snagged on a nearby rock, and who would miss a chance like that? So Pikachu dashed forward, not heeding his master's warnings, and grabbed the hat in his teeth. _

_It was at that moment that the first bolt of lightning had struck, arcing down and destroying a tree on the edge of the canyon wall. In horror, Ash watched helplessly as the canyon began to crumble. Turning around, Pikachu only managed a single muffled cry before the wall of dirt and rock slammed down, burying him completely._

"_Pikachu, no!" Ash cried, but it was too late to do anything. Pikachu was now buried under a layer of dirt and rock. Ash ran forward, scrambling over the fallen debris to the spot where he had seen Pikachu last. Reaching it, he began to dig as fast as he could, looking for any trace that his partner might be buried somewhere below. _

"_Pikachu, no, no, come on, give me a sign, anything, please!" he cried, tears streaming down his face anguished face, mingling with the rain. But there was no sign of Pikachu, and the minutes were ticking by._

"Ash. Hey Ashy-boy, wake up."

_There! It the mud, a corner of his red hat was revealed by Ash's frantic digging. He began to dig with renewed fervor, blood oozing from his fingertips. The hat was revealed, along with the tip of an ear. Plunging his hands deep into the mud, Ash felt around until he found Pikachu's body. With a heave, Ash wrenched Pikachu free from the grasping pull of the mud, landing on his back with his partner clenched tightly to his chest. In panic, Ash watched Pikachu cough up some mud, then lie still, breathing rapid and shallow. Blood oozed from a cut on his head, seeping into his yellow fur, and his eyes were closed._

_Pikachu had to get help fast, if he was going to make it. Looking very scared, Ash pulled Pikachu into his arms, cradling him gently as one would a child. Putting on his hat to shield his eyes from the rain, Ash hurdled down the path in the dark and pouring rain as if fire licked his feet. _

"_Pikachu, stay with me," he said as the darkened forest blurred by._

"Oh fer cryin' out… Ash, wake up."

"_Don't go," he told the little yellow Pokemon, the tears falling from his frightened eyes landing on Pikachu's ominously still body._

"I ain't goin' anywhere, Ashy-boy. Now WAKE UP!"

Ash woke with a start, falling off the plastic chair and hitting the floor with a thud. "Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his aching back and wincing. Sleeping in a plastic hospital chair had done bad things to his body, namely making his back hurt like heck. Ash looked up, still groaning, to meet the eyes of Gary Oak, his rival and least favorite person on the planet.

"Oh," Ash said with a disgusted look on his face, "It's _you_. What do you want?"

"Who ever said I wanted anything, Ashy-boy," Gary sneered, tossing his brown hair back. Like Ash, Gary had grown, now standing just above Ash regarding height. However, instead of being tall and lanky, Gary was tall and muscular. He emphasized this by wearing a tight green t-shirt and skinny jeans. The look suited him, much to Ash's dismay, and his legion of fan-girls had only grown over the years. His face hadn't changed much, the angles and planes only growing slightly sharper. His eyes were laughing at him, a sardonic smirk covering his face.

"Well, if you don't want anything, then you should go away," Ash said shortly, pulling himself up into the plastic chair. His head was turned the other way, childishly refusing to acknowledge his rival.

"Relax, Ketchum," said Gary easily, falling into the chair beside Ash's. "I had stopped by to pick up a few things and to flirt with the nurses, when I noticed you sleeping here. As I was curious why you were sleeping in the emergency ward of the Pokemon Center, I thought I'd wake you up to ask." Gary slouched back into the chair, relaxing. "So, why are you here?"

"I'm here because…" Ash started, trying to recall the reason he was here in the first place. Then, he jolted upright, grey eyes going wide. Glancing frantically at the operation room, he noticed the light had gone out, signaling they were no longed operating. Ignoring the 'hey!' that came from Gary, Ash bolted down the hall, almost knocking a few people over, not stopping until he reached the front desk.

"Nurse Joy!" Ash yelled, leaning over the counter. "The Pikachu! Is it…?"

Nurse Joy smiled. "The Pikachu will be just fine," she said, nodding to Gary who had come running up behind Ash. "Would you like to see it?"

Ash drew back, taken off guard. "Umm…okay. I guess I will," he said, a little awkward, watching as the Chansey beckoned him down the hall. He followed it, with Gary trailing behind, until they came to a room marked with the number 127. With a cry of "Chansey!" the Pokemon smiled and bounced off, presumably to perform some other task. Which left Ash standing in the hall of the Pokemon Center, one hand on the doorknob and uncertain of whether he really wanted to enter or not.

"Go on, Ashy-boy," said Gary, who was leaning against the wall while Ash dithered, uncertain.

"Shut up, Gary," said Ash, and opened the door.

The room was white and sterile. There wasn't much in it, just a couple of chairs, some medical instruments, and a cot. Ash was nervous, afraid of what he might find lying on the cot. With a deep breath to steady his nerves, he edged forward until the cot was in view.

The Pikachu lay still, dwarfed by the largeness of the cot. Its little eyes were closed as it breathed steadily, causing the thin sheet to rise and fall. Its fur had been cleaned, the blood and mud washed away until the fur returned to its soft and fluffy state. A tuft of hair stood up on its head, sticking up like an antenna. A bandage was wrapped around its head, covering the scar above its left eye. It twitched slightly in its sleep, as if it was fighting an unseen enemy. Ash walked over and sat in a chair next to the bed, simply watching the little yellow Pokemon sleep with a look of hopeless longing and extreme sorrow.

"Soooo…how did this happen?" asked Gary quizzically, sitting down in the chair next to Ash, also watching the little Pokemon sleep.

Ash decided to tell his story, though editing the part of Mew leading him to the Pokemon out. He wasn't sure he could entrust his little friend to the harsh and sometimes cruel Gary Oak. Besides, it had always been his and Pikachu's secret to keep. They had had many friends, legendaries who had come and befriended them on their travels. Pokemon like Mew, Mewtwo, and Suicune had all decided to teach Ash in his desire to become one of the greatest Pokemon champions of all time. But Ash had not seen his mentor and good friend, Mewtwo, in a month now, and he wondered how his friend was doing.

"Basically, I found the little guy by the side of the road. You know, near the old oak tree? The little thing was dying, so I rushed it to the Pokemon Center. And here I am, waiting for the thing to wake up," Ash explained, rubbing his tired eyes with the back of his hand. Gary said nothing, just staring at the Pikachu, lost in thought.

"Why did you save it?" Gary asked finally, his eyes gazing at his clasped hands. "I would have thought it would be painful, after…well, you know."

Ash gazed out the window, where the sun was shining and the earth was soaking in the large amount of rain it had received last night. The meadows, painted a bright green, shimmered in the light of day, resting under the wide, blue sky. Off in the distance, you could see the windmill that generated power for Professor Oak's lab. "I don't know," Ash breathed, gazing out at the beautiful scene outside, and only feeling sadness. "I just don't know why I did it."

Gary studied his rival as he looked out the window. He had defiantly seen better days. The light from the window shone down on his face, revealing plain the dark shadows that lay underneath his weary grey eyes. The hollows of his cheeks formed shadows on his face. Ash defiantly wasn't eating enough, Gary thought with a wince. He could remember a time when Ash's eye had been lively and bright, shining like the sun with the strength of his faith. Nothing could keep that boy down for long, the old rival Gary knew and respected. But now, Ash was a broken, beaten shell of his old self. Gary didn't even have the heart to give him some gentle teasing, for he felt like the person before him would break at the slightest provocation.

"Saving this Pikachu isn't going to bring the other one back," Gary remarked carelessly. Ash whirled around in his seat; grey eyes narrowed with his face a mask of fury.

"I know that!" he yelled, standing with a start and balling his fists. "You think I don't know that Pikachu's never coming back! Of course I do! I'm reminded of it every single god damn day! Every day, I wake come and look for the little body that should be curled up on my pillow, and IT'S NEVER THERE!" Ash slumped back into his seat, head down 'till it almost touched his knees. "It's never there," Ash said softly, fervently. "And I wish to god it was."

Gary gave Ash a minute to collect himself, gazing down at the bed rather than looking at the stricken man beside him. "Sorry," Gary said when the minute had passed, looking genuinely remorseful for once, "I spoke without thinking."

"S'okay," said Ash, lifting his head and flipping back his jet-black hair. The two sat in silence for a moment, having run out of words to say. Luckily for them, it was at that moment the little body on the cot began to stir.

Life was just being a royal bitch lately, Edward thought as he slowly came back to consciousness. Just one thing after another after another. First his brother, then the Gate, then the furry pink whatsit that had the nerve of **changing his body on him**. I mean what the hell? It was his body; shouldn't he be calling the shots about it?

Ed opened his eyes, blinking fuzzily to clear away the sleepy feeling from them. He had been out for a long time, he could tell just by the way his body felt. It had that listless feeling you get when you don't use your muscles often enough. Looking around at the room, he was surprised at how big everything looked. He must be something fairly small. Figures, just his luck. (small rangt goes here)(sheck antenna)Giving a yawn, he scratched his head, feeling the way his fur moved underneath his paw…wait. Paw? _Fur?_ What _had _that Mew thing done to him? Bolting up in his bed, he immediately began to take in his surroundings at once, including his new appearance.

Looking down at his hands, Edward saw to his amazement and utter horror that he no longer _had _hands; he had paws. Little yellow furry ones, to be exact. Kicking the sheet off violently, he found his legs to be yellow and furry as well, looking more like the hind legs of a mouse than real bipedal legs. Edward moved them experimentally, wiggling around a bit and adjusting to the different way the tendons moved. It was just a guess, but he thought he could find a way to walk normally with his new legs. Feeling something twitch, he reached up and found an ear. The thing was _long_, standing stiffly at least half a foot above his head. Feeling his face, he found it narrow and mouse-like. _The pink-cat thing must have wanted a toy or something, _thought Ed as he experimentally tugged his new lightning bolt tail. _When I find that scrawny pipsqueak, I'm going to wring his scrawny neck!_

Hearing something from the right, he turned his head to look at the two boys sitting next to his bed. They both looked pretty young, around the fifteen mark. The first one was cocky. He radiated it like pus, reminding Edward of a certain colonel back home. He had brown hair and blue eyes, and a smirk that rivaled Mustang's. He had the whole skinny jean thing going for him, a look that Edward liked on certain people. Just not this one. Edward's whole being screamed _I do not like_!!! One arrogant bastard in his life was enough, thank you. Finished with his examination, Edward turned to look at the other person.

The other boy had an aura of darkness about him, and it wasn't just the black clothes he was wearing. Ed could practically smell it, the fact that this boy had seen sadness. Recently too, if he could judge from his eyes and his demeanor alone. He had black, long hair that was spiky and wild, seemly having a life of its own. His body was slumped so far down in his chair; Ed wondered how he hadn't fallen off. On his face were hollow cheeks and grey eyes filled with shadows. _Huh, _Ed thought to himself, _someone just like me._

The boys were waiting for him to do something, but Edward was distracted by a dawning realization. Slowly, he brought his right arm up to his face, looking at it in the light of the sun. It looked a little worse for wear, but still substantial. Looking down, Edward kicked his left leg again, watching it as it moved. A looked of stunned realization crossed his face, his black eyes rimmed with gold going wide.

"_I have my arm and leg back_," Ed said softly, tears trickling down his pointed muzzle.

Ash watched the Pikachu wake up, yawning a bit and rubbing its head with a furry paw. A look of astonishment crossed its face, and it stared at the paw like it had never seen it before in its life. This was followed by a rapid check of its whole body, treating every inch of it like a new discovery. Beside him, Gary sniggered softly.

The little Pokemon, hearing the sound, turned to look at them. It didn't fly into an immediate attack, as many wild Pokemon will do, but rather looked at them, seeming to make judgments. With a single glance at Gary, an expression crossed its face like it had smelled something foul. Gold-rimmed eyes narrowed. Ash smiled a little at the Pokemon's reaction to Gary. The thing was smart. A thought crossed Ash's mind briefly, but it slipped away before Ash could catch what it had been.

The Pikachu's gaze moved onward, resting upon him. Ash's grey eyes focused somewhere to its right, finding it hard to look directly into its eyes. But, prompted by some feeling he could not explain, Ash slowly brought his gaze over to bear on the small Pokemon. Eyes connecting, Ash thought he saw something. Affirmation? Connection? Acknowledgement? It could have been all of them or none. All he knew was that the golden eyes widened, accentuating the thin golden ring of the Pokemon's pupils. Then the connection was gone as the Pokemon looked down at amazement at his arm. It made Ash wonder how it had gotten those awful scars on its arm and leg. Astonished, Ash watch a tear trickle out of its strange golden eyes. And then the strange little Pikachu did something truly amazing.

It spoke to Ash in his mind.

Sure, it made the standard Pika-pika noises a regular Pikachu makes when it talks. But in his mind, Ash heard a different voice, the voice of a boy.

"_I have my arm and leg back," _it said in amazement, its voice filled with untold emotion. Then the emotions in the voice solidified, taking up one strong feeling. Joy. "_I have my limbs back." _

Ash and Gary jumped to their feet. Both had heard the voice in their heads, and both were amazed and weary at the same time. "How did you do that?" Gary exclaimed, edging backwards slightly. At the same time, the little Pokemon cocked his head, revere broken.

"_Whoa. What the hell happened to my voice?_" it asked, twitching its tail a little in shock. Its strange eyes looked puzzled, as it reached a paw up to touch its throat. "_I mean, pika-pika? How messed up is that?_" Again, Ash heard the regular Pikachu speak coming out of its mouth, but a different voice seemed to be speaking in his mind.

"We seem to be hearing you just fine," said Ash forcefully, still kind of edgy. He didn't know what to do with this strange Pokemon who could speak in people's minds.

Gary was kind of pacing back and forth, brown hair swinging around as he muttered to himself. "No way," he said a little louder, still pacing, "This can't be true. Being near Ash rubbed off some of his craziness on me, that's all."

"Hey!" exclaimed Ash, crossing his arms with an affronted expression on his face. "I'm not crazy!"

Gary continued on like Ash hadn't even spoken, still trying to convince himself the whole mind-speak thing had been a figment of his imagination. "It just didn't happen," said Gary strongly, as if by saying it he could make it true. The Pikachu shook its head in dismay.

Spotting a clipboard and a pen that Nurse Joy had left on the bedside table, the Pikachu seemed to get an idea. Reaching up, he grabbed both items in his teeth, dragging it onto the bed. Ripping off the top sheet so a fresh sheet of paper showed the Pikachu awkwardly took the pencil in its mouth. Tilting its head side-ways so the pen could touch the paper, it maneuvered the pen and laboriously wrote out three words. Wanting to see what they said, Ash and Gary leaned closer, managing to make out the messy handwriting.

You're

A

Prick

Soundlessly, they both looked up to gaze in astonishment at the Pikachu, who had a wicked grin on its face. After a moment of shocked silence, Ash turned to Gary.

"Its right, you know," Ash said, grey eyes grinning as he barely managing to keep a straight face.

Before Gary Oak could attempt to single-handedly murder Ash Ketchum, a clip-board whirled through the air and almost smacked Ash right in the face. It just grazed his spiky hair before crashing into the wall behind him. Ash turned and looked back, startled, at a now furious Pikachu.

"_I am not an 'it', I am a he. Believe me, I would know,_" said the Pokemon crossly, the frizzy hair on it-_his _head standing up straight to look almost like an antenna. "_And my name is Ed. Edward Elric, once and always the Fullmetal Alchemist." _The small yellow Pokemon stuck out a paw. After a moment's consideration Ash reached out and grasped it firmly, shaking it.

"Nice to meet ya, Edward. My name is Ash Ketchum," Ash proclaimed, giving Edward a sad smile.

"And I'm Gary Oak," said Gary, who leaned back against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"_Right_," said Edward, flopping back down in bed. "_Now_," he began, smoothing back an ear as he lay back against the pillow, "_Can you two tell me where the hell I am?_"

* * *

Enter Edward Elric! Gotta love him, folks. Review if you want more!!!


	4. A fond farewell

Hi, people! I'm back, with another thrilling chapter (not really) of my story. I've been really bored this vacation, but unfortunatly my computer ran out of free Microsoft trials, so I had to go out and actually buy it. But, now I have Microsoft, and don't have to worry about shutting my computer down anymore.

On a sepperate note, anyone in high school should look up The Common Application. It's an aplication accepted by a ton of colleges, and it shows you what you need to have done to apply. A good thing to look up, people!

You have **FullMetalPipsqueakk **to thank for the update. Because of her review, I sacrificed length for speed and got this posted. This one's for you!

So, we have Pikachu's death scene. It choked me up a little, writing this. I hope you will review this, so I can think up something for the next chapter. Shout out suggestion, people!

I don't own Pokemon, Fullmetal Alchemist, or a dog. It's a pity for all three.

Chapter Four

Ed burst into hysterical laughter, rolling back onto the grass of the hill, pounding the ground with paws. It was afternoon, and not wanting to miss the chance of spending a fine day outside, Ash had checked Ed out of the Pokemon Center, promising the Nurse Joy that he would take it to Professor Oak's for one more round in the healing machine before he took off the bandages. Ed had been impressed by the rate at which the Pokemon healing machines seemed to have affected his recovery. This had lead to a complicated description of various things in Ash's world, including Pokemon Centers, Pokeballs, and tele-communicators. Now, they were sitting outside on a nearby sun-soaked hill, trying to explain what Pokemon were and what functions they preformed.

"It's really not that funny," said Ash, watching quizzically as Edward went into convolutions on the ground. Gary simply snorted from his place on the ground, lying there with his eyes closed, soaking in the sun. He would occasionally chip in a comment, but he left Ash to do most, if not all, of the explaining. Gary figured it would do Ash some good to bond with the yellow traveler. Lately, Ash seemed just a little less sad, a little less drawn than he had before. Maybe Ed could help heal his terrible loss.

Ed straightened with a sigh, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You have to be kidding me! Pokemon, pokeball, pokedex…you have to start using different prefixes when you name things (seriously, just look for all the things that start with 'poke' and you'll start to get annoyed)!" Ed looked up at the blue sky, seeming to look for the stars hidden by the light of the sun. "But seriously," Ed continued, looking down at his yellow paws, "In my world, none of this is possible. We have no Pokemon, and technology hasn't progressed as far as it has here. To me, this all seems very strange."

Ash and Gary blinked, processing the information. "So wait, you're not from this world?" Ash asked, seeming to be stunned by the idea.

"No, I'm not," said Edward calmly, sitting still like stone while he gazed up at the stars that he knew he could not see. The light in his eyes dimmed a little, as he was lost in memories. The grass waved a bit in a gentle breath of wind, and the sun was beginning to set, creating shadows that dappled the hilly terrain. It reminded Ed of a much similar town.

Rising to his feet, Gary stood and stretched. "Well," he said, looking anxiously in the direction of the wind mill of the horizon. "We should get moving if we want to make it to Gramp's house before night fall. Ashy-boy, come along if you really feel you must. As for you, short-stuff-"

"WHO YOU CALLING A MICRO-MIDGET WHO HAS TO STAND ON A FOOTSTOOL TO REACH THE DOORKNOB?!" Ed yelled, springing to his feet and hurtling at the surprised Pokemon researcher. Having no weapons immediately available, Edward simply sprang up and sunk his teeth into Gary's hand. Gary screamed like a girl, running around in circles to try and shake off the tenacious Pokemon. "SOMEONE GET IT OFF MEEEEEEEE!!!!" Gary shrieked, frantically waving his arm about in the hope's of dislodging Ed. But Ed, not taking kindly being called 'it' again bit down harder. Ash simply rose to his feet, brushing off his pants to clear the dirt from them. Hitching his backpack onto his shoulder, he smirked a little at Gary's crazy antics.

"Get him Ed!" he called out, enjoying watching his long-time rival and enemy making a complete and utter fool of himself. Gary, realizing he would find no allies here, turned around and sprinted down the path, tearing towards Professor Oak's house in the hopes that his grandpa might save him.

* * *

Professor Oak was very worried. He had cleaned his lab four times, straightened his considerable pile of notes, and even checked in on Ash's Pokemon, but none of it helped to ease his mind. He had sent Gary out on an errand _ages_ ago, a simple task that should have taken an hour if he had decided to dawdle. That had been at lunch-time, but now the sun was setting and he still wasn't back. Oak paced back and forth, frequently glancing out the window. Sure, the Professor realized his grand-son was very capable, and could take care of himself. But the one thing Gary always could be counted on was that he would be punctual. Gary had never been late before and well…after what had happened to Ash, the Professor didn't want to take any chances.

He had once thought this area was the safest possible to live in. The death of Ash's Pikachu had proven him brutally wrong. It had been a shock to the whole community, and the gently rolling hills of Pallet just didn't have that safe feel to them anymore. Oak wondered idly how Ash was doing. Oak had been talking to Ash's mother a lot recently, helping her through her son's depression and her own worry. Oak sighed again, sitting down at the kitchen table with a thump. He looked down at his hands, tracing with his eyes the lines and scars that he could trace back to so many memories.

Memories…

His grey head bowed, Oak recalled the fateful night, that night where everything had gone so wrong.

_Oak was out in the ranch, walking around and interacting with all the Pokemon that he kept there. The light rain that was falling bothered his old bones a bit, but he paid it no mind. Talking with the Pokemon was a habit that he could not break. He had always thought the bonds between Pokemon and humans were important, and on many occasions he had proved this theory right. Petting the Hoppip fondly, he bid it a final goodbye and headed back to the house, shivering slightly from the cold and a strange feeling of apprehension. _

_Once inside, he took off his coat, handing it on a hook and coming to the main hall. His footsteps echoed throughout the empty lab, creating eerie echoes that the Professor had long since learned to ignore. Opening the door, he walked into the only room still lit in the entire house._

_The main hall was large, with a high ceiling and few chairs and couches. There was a large, circular rug in the middle of the floor, meant to protect one's feet from the harsh cold of the marble tiles. The glass ceiling showed the cascade of rain that was now pouring down the glass. Sitting in the middle of the hall, gathered in a tight circle were Ash's three starter Pokemon; Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charizard. They all looked like they had been conferring anxiously, each glancing at the door every few seconds. The Professor's heart gave a jump of worry. His blue eyes scanned the room, searching every corner, but no Ash Ketchum was revealed in the bright light of the room. That was strange. Ash had been due here several hours ago. He was surprised he was late, as Ash had been speaking with excitement of this trip for many months. Oak walked down the stairs, approaching the trio of Pokemon._

_Bulbasaur had its green head cocked; gaze solemn as it stared anxiously at the front door. It sat very still, barely moving to breathe in the intensity of its gaze. Squirtle was fidgeting nervously, glancing at the door every few seconds. It was wringing its little hand, obviously worried. Charizard was huddled over the two, looking very relaxed. Only the flicker of its gaze revealed that he, too, was worried about his trainer. All three Pokemon looked up briefly at the approach of the Professor, but then went back to doing what they had been doing for the past three hours; staring at the door and waiting for their master to enter through it. _

_Oak knew that trying to persuade the Pokemon to move was a futile task. All three were so loyal to their trainer that they would not move from this spot until he walked through the door. So instead, he pulled over a chair and sat with them, simply lending them the support of his company. At three looked at him briefly, but one by one they accepted his presence and went back to their sentry duty. All four of them waited, waiting for Ash to make his appearance. _

_Without warning, a cry rose up from the throats of the three Pokemon. All reeled as if struck by a blow. Oak leapt to his feet with a shout and asked them what was wrong, but none of them paid him any heed. They settled back to their previous positions after a few seconds, each looking doubly worried and gazing at the door with an intensity that could have caught the wood ablaze. Leaning their heads toward each other, they seemed to talk amongst themselves. Oak was left standing there feeling helpless and confused; wondering what could have caused such a stir. Watching lightning streak across the stormy sky, Oak figured it was just the storm upsetting them and settled back down in his chair to wait. _

_An hour passed, and there was still no sign of Ash. The Professor gave up watching the door and instead decided to watch the Pokemon, giving himself something different to do. It was this that allowed him to see the Pokemon's ears all twitch before the front door creaked open. The Pokemon and Oak sprang to their feet as a muddy Ash stumbled into the room. He was breathing heavily, and blood was pouring from a cut on his forehead. He was drenched, mud covering his pant-legs and one side, as if he had slipped and fell in the mud. And there, lying still in his arms, was Pikachu._

_Pikachu was covered in mud and blood. Its little arms were sprawled, its chest barely rising or falling. Its yellow body looked small and fragile, as if it would break at the slightest touch. Pikachu's eyes were closed._

"_Ash, what happened?" Oak cried, running forward to kneel beside Ash, who still cradled Pikachu in his arms. The Pokemon were faster, though, and they gathered around their master and their oldest friend, horrorstruck by what they were seeing. Oak finally reached Ash's side, gripping his shoulder tightly. Ash's head whipped around, and he held out the Pikachu to the Professor, eyes wild and scared._

"_Professor, please, do something!" Ash begged. Oak had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Earth. Pikachu was covered with it, and the Professor could not think of anything worse. Earth had a very negative effect on electric type Pokemon. And to a Pokemon as small as Pikachu, the life-draining effects of the element could be devastating._

"_Ash," the Professor asked urgently, looking Ash in the eyes, "Was Pikachu buried underground?" Ash simply nodded, looking scared. "For more than a couple minutes?" Oak pressed, feeling horrorstruck. Ash nodded again, a quick jerk of his head. Oak took a deep breath, feeling as if something had its hand around his throat. "Then I'm sorry, Ash," Oak said quietly, sitting down with a thump, "But there's nothing I can do."_

_Ash simply stared at him for a few seconds, then began to shake his head. "No," he said, frantically jerking his head back and forth. "No, no, NO!!!" He was bellowing at the Professor now, who just simply bear to make eye contact with him. "There must be something you can do! You're Professor Oak, damn it! The smartest man on the planet!"_

"_Even I cannot cure some things," Oak murmured, running a hand through Pikachu's muddy fur, "I can do nothing for death when it comes and calls us to the other side. There are some rules that cannot be broken."_

"_Then screw with the rules!" Ash yelled, distraught. "It doesn't have to be this way! Not Pikachu! He can't leave me! He just…can't." Ash bowed his head and slid to the floor, slowly petting his partner's head. "Please," he whispered in a broken voice, "I can't." Just then, Pikachu's eyes slowly began to open. The little Pokemon seemed to take in the scene around him, gazing into the faces of friends that gathered around his fading spirit. _

"_Pika pika-pi pichu," Pikachu said weakly, looking over at his three comrades-in-battle. From the look on Pikachu's face, Oak could tell it was some sort of goodbye. Each was silent for a moment then gave a reply, each looking wretched. Charizard could barely choke his out, moaning a snuffly 'hroo' at the end of his answer. Each briefly touched their old friend on the head then moved back a little, giving Ash and Pikachu their space. The Professor laid a hand on Pikachu's head, looking into the now dull eyes of the once mighty Pokemon. _

"_I will miss you, friend," he said softly, a single tear falling from his old eyes, "But I will never forget." Pikachu looked at the person who had once been his master and smiled a bit. Oak let his hand rest there on his head for a few seconds then removed it. He moved back a step, letting Ash and Pikachu, two partners who meant everything to each other, say their final goodbyes._

_Ash huddled over the fading body of Pikachu. It was almost time for him to go, but he had one final duty to his master first. He must try to ease the sorrow of his passing in any way he could, so that his master would not suffer while he was gone. "Pika-pika chu," said Pikachu softly, gazing lovingly into Ash's eyes. _

"_Don't do it," Ash breathed, cradling Pikachu gently to his chest. Ash's grey eyes implored him. "Please, don't leave me here without you. I want to go with you." Pikachu slowly shook his head, and gave his friend the saddest of smiles._

"_Pi…ka," Pikachu breathed, his face relaxing into a peaceful smile. He looked at Ash for a single moment more, then closed his eyes. The chest that had been gently rising and falling stopped its vital motion. _

"_Pikachu?" Ash called softly, shaking the little Pokemon gently, as if to wake it from sleep. It was no use. The little Pokemon's time had come and Pikachu had peacefully slipped from the world, a bright yellow shadow gone too soon._

Oak sighed, looking up from his hands to once again to gaze out the window. That night, the Pokemon had cried. Oak had cried too, as Charizard had sent a memorial flame into the air to honor his lost friend. But Ash had not cried. He had simply sat there gazing at the empty shell of the friend he once knew and loved, looking as if everything that made his life worth living had faded to black. Then, he had stood and walked back out into the rain, closely followed by his Pokemon. Oak had tried to follow, but had lost them in the viciousness of the storm. All he knew was the next morning Ash and the Pokemon had returned, but the body of Pikachu wasn't with them.

Off in the distance, Oak saw a shape, moving quickly towards the house. After a few seconds examination, Oak identified the shape to be Gary, and the second shape following behind to be Ash. This surprised him. Ash hadn't been here in the longest time, and the Professor wondered what had prompted him to pay a visit. For now, Oak contented himself with watching Gary tear towards the house with a yellow shape hanging off his hand. Oak chuckled, settling farther back into his chair. Apparently, Gary had gotten into trouble. Again. Between the ladies and Pokemon, Gary attained so many wounds Oak barely could keep track of them all. Gary was just too fearless for his own good, and was forever getting himself into mess after mess. Just like Ash, although both would have denied the similarity outright if it had been pointed out to them.

Oak sighed with a wry smile on his face then got up to see what trouble his grand-son had gotten into this time.

* * *

Review, review, reveiw! I can't say it enough! I swear it makes me write faster.


	5. Stowaway!

Yay! I got this typed up pretty fast! Kudoes for me! Anyway, the story is going to start really rolling soon, so I hope you're likeing it so far. I recently got my friend addicted to FMA. Another one bites the dust (sorry MJ, I just had to use that!).

So' I'm going to try to keep at this story, and will take suggestions for what you guys want to happen. If you want to ask me stuff, shout out!

I don't own this. Again. sigh

Chapter Five

"It talks!" exclaimed Oak, bending over to look closer at the strange Pikachu. Ed, looking uncomfortable with the close proximity of the Professor, scooted back a few inches.

"_Who is this creepy old guy?"_ he whispered, slowly moving into a fighting stance. Ed's eyes were steadily narrowing as he glared at the Professor, who kept coming closer to examine the odd Pokémon regardless of the glares that were being shot his way. Glares were still preferable to lightning bolts, and he had dealt with those before.

"That creepy old guy," said Ash from the corner where he stood, facing a window, "Is the leading Pokémon expert, possibly one of the smartest men on the planet. He is a researcher who is devoted to the study of Pokémon." Ash, upon arrival, had barely spoken a word. He had barely greeted Oak before planting himself firmly at the window, looking out at the surrounding landscape despite the steadily dimming light of the setting sun. Enveloped in his solitude, he remained deathly still and silent, except for the occasional comment he tossed into the conversation.

This had left Gary to do all the explaining. Which he had done with a little help from Ed, who clear up the minor points of the story that Gary missed or glossed over. Edward, as a devout researcher, knew the importance of relaying data right the first time. It made a big difference in an alchemic equation if you used two ounces of salt or saltpeter. Ed and Alphonse had found that one out the hard way.

"And he's my grand-father," added Gary, whose head was bowed as he took notes into a spiral bound notebook. Upon returning to the house and delivering his explanations to a very irritated grand-father, Gary had returned to the role of Professor Oak's assistant, and been taking down the information Oak had been dictating for the last ten minutes.

"Now," Oak began, sitting down in front of Ed to better level their height, "How long ago did you first turn into a Pokémon?" In the background, Ed could hear the scratching of Gary's pen. It was funny how fast that guy could revert from a pompous ass to a studious scholar. Almost in the blink of an eye, or more accurately in the presence of a grandpa. Unlike _some _people, who were pompous asses twenty-four seven.

(_Somewhere in Central, Roy Mustang sneezes and wonders where the hell Edward could be.)_

"_I dunno,_" said Edward, rubbing his head with his paw. He found an ear, and seeming to find it fascinating, began tugging on it. "_Maybe twenty-four hours?_" Seeming to become bored, he stopped playing with his ears and began fiddling with his tail, trying to pull it around so he could see it better.

"Well then, that was a pretty short while ago. Twenty-four hours post-transformation." Oak said turning back to Gary, who went back to writing furiously on a piece of paper. Oak turned around to face the Pokémon, but found him gone. Looking around the room, Oak found his attempting to wobbly walk around the room on two legs. He seemed intently focused on what he was doing.

"What are you doing?" asked Oak curiously.

"_Running_ _a check on how many of my basic functions I can perform_," Ed replied without looking up, now walking steadily on two feet. "_I've done tests like these before, but please continue asking questions. If you have any knowledge on how I can get out of this ridiculous body, then I'll need it._"

"Alright, then," said Oak, a little taken aback, but still willing to continue. "Do you remember anything about how you ended up like this?"

"_Well_," said Edward, in the middle of a perfectly balanced handstand, "_Something…happened…to my little brother. I attempted a rescue, and after some…travelling, I followed the trail his spirit left to this place. I woke up in the dark, and this obnoxious pink cat started jabbering about new bodies and dissolved me. It was strange, in almost felt like a transmutation. After that, all I can remember is waking up in that hospital-like place_." If anyone noticed the slight hesitations in his speech, they put it down to the cartwheels Ed was now performing.

"A pink…cat, you say? Well, I'll have to look that up. In the meantime, why don't you stay here and rest the night? In the morning I might be able to tell you what transformed you."

"_Do you know if it's reversible_?" Ed asked nonchalantly, now touching his fingers to his toes.

Oak hesitated. "I'm sorry," he said hesitantly, "But I don't have anywhere near enough information to reverse something of this level. You will just have to remain in this form."

Oak had been expecting an outburst of some sort, but what he did not expect was Ed's casual 'okay' to his answer, and then a profession that he was starving and would like dinner. Ash, hearing this, got up without a word from where he had been staring at the pitch-dark night for the past ten minutes, and walked wordlessly towards the kitchen. Ed, getting up from his crunches, moved to follow.

"How can you do that?!" exclaimed Gary, jumping up from his seat. His notebook fell to the floor with a clatter. Edward paused, turning around to regard him with a look both questioning and churlish.

"_Do what_?" Ed snapped, fidgeting his way towards the food he could now smell.

"Take this so…easily?" Gary said, looking at Edward in amazement.

Some hair fell down from his head, seeming to throw a shadow over Ed's eyes. He paused a moment, before turning around and heading for the kitchen. "_Because there are far worse things than this,_" he threw over his shoulder. In his mind, Ed saw Alphonse, never able to feel again because of two kid's arrogance and ambition. He could never again feel the touch of water. Never again eat or drink or close his eyes to sleep at night. And then there was him. He had an _arm_ again. He had a _leg_ again. "_I am lucky to have this body, and I am very thankful for it,_" Ed said strongly, and with a conviction that ran fierce and true. Then he walked from the room. Moments later, he could be heard yelling at Ash to feed him something, and complaining at the Pokémon food. Gary and Oak were left in stunned silence.

"That's amazing," remarked Gary. He moved to push his hair from out of his eyes, and his hands were trembling. "I couldn't think of anything worse that what he's going through."

Oak hmmed rubbing his chin, deep in thought. "Maybe it has something to do with those scars of his." Oak murmured. One thing was for sure. Edward was a very interesting person.

"_Ummm_," Ed said, looking down at the bowl of brown pellets. Right now he wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh, cry, or fly into a fit. Naturally, he chose the last option. "_What the hell is this!_" he yelled, pointing with a paw at the bowl full of poke food (see, here we have the poke thing again!).

Ash looked up from where he had been sipping a glass of water. Lately, he had been having a hard time keeping food down. So, right now all he was living on was fluids and the occasional berry he found when he was walking. Hearing Ed, he looked up from staring at his hands and looked at him. "It's poke food. Pokémon eat it." Then, he went back to staring at his hands.

"_Then why can't I have normal food_?" he heard Ed grumble.

Not even looking up from his hands this time, he replied, "If Pokémon eat too much normal food, they get sick." Ash winced a little at the memory. He had learned that one form experience.

"_Fine_," said Ed, and Ash heard the rattle of pellets that meant Ed was eating. Or at least moving stuff around his bowl. But Ash had more important things to worry about. Namely, what was his next move going to be? Ash felt the need to have a plan, some sort of purpose that would tie him more firmly to life. However, it had been a while since he had done anything that involved thinking something through. Even leaving his house had been a spur-of-the-moment choice. So what was he going to do? Ash wandered deeper into thought, feeling his eyes glide closed as his knapsack slid to the kitchen floor. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he did know who he could ask for advice. Having made a decision, Ash let himself relax as he fell asleep with his head on the kitchen table.

Edward looked sadly at the youth sleeping at the kitchen table. The shadows under his closed eyes reminded him of sleepless nights, looking for the answer to an impossible mistake. So much like he had been before he had learned to deal with the weight of grief and past mistakes. So close to the road he had seen so many others take. Ed remembered being in the military barracks, and the one night where he had walked into his neighbor's open room and found him dead on the floor.

Ed sighed, leaning back against the low counter. He had been thirteen at the time, and that incident had shaken him to the core. He had not let Alphonse enter the room, but had immediately called the colonel after asserting that no rescue attempt could be made. After the stretcher came and hauled the body away, Edward had locked himself in the bathroom and had sat there, shaking, until Alphonse began to sound urgent enough to kick down the door.

Of course, right after that Ed had gone to an amusement park for the first time. The office decided they needed a break and had collectively voted to take a trip to the carnival. Ed was sure this had been an attempt to cheer him up, but whatever it was it had worked. They had all gone out and enjoyed the rides and the games. Sure, Kain and Breda had made themselves sick on the Whirl-a-cup, and Riza had shot the bell on the Test Your Strength game and demanded a prize, but all in all the evening passed without major bloodshed. Ed found out he had a passion for roller coasters, and had ridden every single one in the park at least five times. At the end of the trip, after night had fallen, they had all settled down on blankets on the nearest hill and watched the fireworks display. Roy was boasting to Riza that he could have done a better job with the pyrotechnics, and Falman kept spouting out random facts about fireworks. Edward and Alphonse had sat on their blanket and laughed together like the days when they were young. At the end of the day Ed had gone to bed smiling. It was one of Edward's most treasured memories.

Ed hoped that where ever Al was he was happy and safe. But somehow, Ed didn't doubt that he was. Something just told him that his brother was okay and out there somewhere, waiting for him. And he would find him, no matter the distance to travel or the time it would take.

Ed shook his head, ears flapping back and forth, and settled back to wait for Ash to wake up. He had a hunch, that by the time morning came he would be gone from the house. Ash seemed so ill at ease here, and if Ed was in his position he wouldn't want to stay. For some reason, something about the boy's eyes reminded him of Alphonse. And he wanted to be around to keep a watchful eye on Ash. So, he would wait until he woke up, and then follow him to wherever he was going. As his mentor and his guide.

It was time for Ed to travel once more. And Ed had a plan.

When Ash came to, sunlight was just beginning to touch the tops of the trees. A stray beam of light cut in a line across his cheek, warm against the contrast of the smooth marble top. For a moment, Ash was confused, wondering how he had gotten to the kitchen table. However, after a few seconds of muddled confusion he remembered, and slowly got to his feet. He didn't have to do anything but go. His pack had everything he would need in it, and it wasn't a long journey to where he was going. The trick to getting there was knowing the way to go. It didn't pay to get lost in the middle of the woods.

Deep in the forests that surrounded the Pallet Mountains there was a place of untold power called Sacred Spring. It was a spring where Pokémon gathered to heal themselves and make wishes. That was why it was said that the greatest trainers come from Pallet; it was so infused with the magic of the water and the magic of the wishes that the strength of Pokémon was born into the people. However, no trainer had ever before found this spring. No one except for Ash Ketchum. And he hadn't found it, really. He had been taken there by his trainer and master Mewtwo. He had met and fought with Mewtwo before. Although he was a fairly new Pokémon, he had been born with generations of knowledge inside his mind. Having earned the Pokémon's respect of

n several different occasions, Mewtwo had offered to train him into the greatest Pokémon master that had ever lived.

Ash sighed, brushing the hair out of his eyes. With Mewtwo, he and Pikachu had trained until they had single-handedly beaten the Elite Four. Mewtwo had taught them to speak the same language, the language that was Pokespeak in the human tongue and **Havares** in the Pokémon language. That was the best part of the training, finally being able to speak to one another as equals. Partners in the truest sense of the word. All of that knowledge, and they had been unable to defeat a simple mudslide. Ash scowled, his face scrunching up as he washed his face in the sink. It made him angry. Ash paused and straightened, cocking his head. What exactly was he angry about? He didn't know, and that served to make it all the more frustrating. His motions accented by unchecked violence, he swung his pack over his shoulder and marched out the back door.

"Ooofff!" Ash wheezed, staggering a little. The backpack weighed a ton! Or at least, he thought it did. In any case, it seemed heavier than usual. Ash dismissed this, simply tightening the straps and continuing forward. Heading past the corrals where the Pokémon stayed, Ash broke into a light jog, wanting to be away from the house when Gary and the Professor woke up. _I hated it in there, _Ash thought as he traveled steadily towards the forest. _I felt like I was suffocating. The air seemed so thick and stifling. I thought I was going to scream! _It wasn't just the place, either. Ash didn't like being with Gary and the Professor. Gary, he had never liked anyway, and the Professor…pity had oozed off him like a noxious cloud, making Ash's blood boil with anger and eyes prickle with unshed tears. _Save your pity for Pikachu, _thought Ash, grey eyes flashing like storm clouds as he pushed on towards the forest. _Don't waste any of it on me. _

Ash reached the forest at a dead run. He broke into the cover of the trees without making a single sound. Like a shadow, he darted in and out of the trees, ignoring the branches that reached for him like claws. His head was down, arms pumping to increase momentum. Chest rising and falling in a steady runner's rhythm, Ash's black coat billowed around him like a flag flapping in the wind. Ash's eyes, which just yesterday had seemed dead and lifeless, now shone just a tiny bit brighter. Like the light at the bottom of a mine shaft, the difference was faint but there. Mind focused on a single goal, he ran like all of his personal demons were hot-footing behind him.

Darting through the trees, black like a shadow, he looked more like a Pokémon than a human.

When his aching body finally came to rest, he found himself halfway into the forest. The trees around him dwarfed the largest building, standing like sentries that breathed life into the world around them. The sun patched through the canopy, gilding the forest floor with splashes of gold paint. The crisp, clean smell of the mountain forest invigorated Ash, and he breathed deeply to savor the smell. His footsteps were muffled by the soft, springy moss that cushioned his feet, bringing the earth to life. All around him he could hear the sounds of Pokémon who were probably watching his arrival. It was rare for humans to come so far into the forest. Despite the coolness of the forest air around him, Ash stripped his jacket off and sat down, bundling it up so he could put it in his backpack after taking a drink of water.

A muffled rustling in his backpack caused Ash to yelp, jumping into the air and landing with a crash on the forest floor. All was silent and still. Even the wind ceased to blow, as if the forest itself held its breath. Ash held his, wondering what was going to come out of his backpack.

"_Geez, you move fast,"_ groaned a voice from the backpack. In astonishment and a tinge of horror, Ash watched as Edward wiggled his way out of the backpack and heaved a sigh of relief. Edward looked sweaty and irritated, hot from the confines of the backpack. His little yellow antenna was all askew, and his fur stuck up in clumps like he had slept on it funny. "_Whew," _breathed Edward, standing up and stretching, "_The inside of that backpack is frickin' hot, man!_"

Ash felt a sudden lurch of anger. In an instant, he was on his feet. "What are you doing here?" he yelled, gesturing wildly into the air.

Ed grunted, crossing his arms. "_Among other things, keeping an eye on your sorry ass,_" he said, eyes narrowed.

"I don't need you. Go home!" Ash yelled, turning around in a blur of black to storm away.

"_Don't have one,_" Ed said calmly, almost expressionlessly.

This stopped Ash right in his tracks. Pulling up short, he turned around to face the Pokémon who was once a human. "What do you mean by that?" Ash asked slowly, body still tensed to flee.

"_Exactly what I said,_" replied Edward, his golden eyes piercing into Ash's soul. Unable to meet them, Ash looked away. "_I do not have a home._"

"But, surely, in that other dimension-" Ash was cut off by a faint glimmer of something in the other's eyes. Something familiar.

"_My family home is ashes now,_" said Edward slowly, standing straight and strong. Only the wistful look in his eyes hinted at emotion. "_It has long been burnt to the ground." _

Ash was quiet for a moment. Then, he started forward, hesitantly reaching out a slightly shaking hand "I'm sor-"

"_Don't say it," _Ed said sharply, cutting him off. Whirling around, he spared Ash a backward glance. Moving towards the pack, he said without looking behind, "_I don't deserve that pity." _Ash was left standing silently, wishing he could see Ed's eyes. Without that point of reference, he had no idea what the Pokémon was thinking. Ed rummaged through the bag, coming up with a bottle of water. This he threw at Ash who caught it reflexively and then stared at the bottle like he's never seen it before. "_Hey, I bet you're thirsty after that run,_" Ed said casually, pausing to scratch the discolored patch of fur on his stomach. Taking another bottle, he succeeded in unscrewing the cap and taking a swig of water. Recapping the bottle, he tossed it back in the bag. Ash followed suit, drinking about a quarter of the bottle before replacing it in the bag. Stuffing his coat in hurriedly, he re-slung the bag on his shoulder, noting the lack of weight that was now glaringly apparent.

"_Well?_" Ed said impatiently, standing on a nearby log. He was fidgeting, as if anxious to be gone. Moving forward a little, he said, "_It's time to move." _He seemed to think for a second, and then said, _"After all, you have two good legs. It's time to get up and use them."_

For some reason, Ash didn't think he was talking about walking.

Ash paused to think. There was a choice here. He could leave Ed out here in the middle of the woods, or have him as a traveling companion. Honestly, Ash didn't think he was ready for another Pokémon, especially a Pikachu. But, then again it didn't have to be forever.

Ash took a deep breath in and sighed. "Alright, let's move out," he said wearily, slowly moving in the right direction, towards the Sacred Spring.

"_Yeah, yeah, just keep the pace slow,_" said Ed, walking along beside the trainer. His scars glinted in the light from the forest canopy, turning the lines to silver. Turning away from the yellow traveler, Ash began to walk forward, using his two good legs and the Pokémon walking beside him as his guide.

* * *

I wrote this while my brother threatned to shank me if I didn't finish in the next five minutes. Panic is my muse!

Review. ten reviews=one cookie for edward so FEED HIM!!!


	6. Rainclouds

Hey, people! I'm sorry I haven't been updating lately. I've been having mysterious health issues. Oooohh, nothing like a good mystery, right? Well, anyway, I hope you guys have liked the story so far. To those of you who think it's too depressing, I'm trying to balance it out with humor. This isn't a story about two depressed people, this is a story about two boys learning how to forgive themselves. They are going to have to claw their way back to happiness, but I'm going to make their journey interesting and exciting every step of the way!

By the way, I got enough reviews to give Edward a cookie! Due to a request, it is a real cookie, not a cyber cookie.

Ed: Did someone say cookie?

Me: It's all your, Eddy-boy!

Ed: DON'T CALL ME THAT! (munching on cookie)

Me: Awwwww, so cute!

Ed: Shut up, writer girl!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

(Roy Mustang pops out of nowhere)

Roy: She doesn't own FMA.

(Gay Oak pops out of same nowhere)

Gary: Or Pokémon. Whatever.

Me: HEY, who left the door to the character room open? Brock? Was it you?

Chapter Six

"_Are we there yet?_" groaned Edward, plodding tiredly along the forest path. "_I'm getting old here, waiting for us to get to this Sacred Spring place."_

Ash took a deep breath in, resisting the urge to stuff the annoying little mouse into his backpack and leave him there. The forest surrounded him, calming him with its grounding influence. The trees had thickened, the wind gently breathing life into the majesty of this untouched grotto. Every time Ash came to this place, he was struck with the awesome power that flowed through, the timelessness. Standing among the ferns, utterly dwarfed by the humongous ancient trees that turned the sunlight through their canopy, he had never felt so small and humble. Ash laughed under his breath, thinking back. That had been the first lesson Mewtwo had taught (or beaten into) him, the lesson of humility.

"_You think this is funny?"_ snapped Ed, his ears twitching in anger.

"You stalking me here?" said Ash, not even looking behind him. "Not even a little."

"_I am not stalking you," _Ed growled, angrily brushing ferns aside. "_I'm just here to make sure you don't do anything stupid, kid."_

"Don't call me kid!" snapped Ash angrily, hunching his shoulders and stomping forward through the ferns. Ed ran forward to catch up.

"_Well, how old are you?" _asked Ed, running beside Ash. Ash, not wanting to be so close, sped up the pace. Ed, who didn't give a shit what he wanted, just kept going faster.

"Fifteen," Ash snarled, his face scrunching up in annoyance. Angrily pushing his hair out of his eyes, he stomped on in the empty space between the trees.

"_Well," _said Edward, zigzagging through the ferns until he caught up with Ash once more, "_I'm nineteen, so that makes you a kid, kid."_

That was the last straw Ash was going to take from this furry little whatsit. Spinning around, Ash saw him standing on a log, casually checking over his scarred arm. With a face like thunder, Ash walked over with his grey eyes ablaze. Stopping in front Edward, he glared down on him while he continued to look at his arm like it was a toy on Christmas Eve. "What the hell is your problem?" he asked shortly, looming over the little Pikachu.

Ed smirked internally. That boy was just too easy to set off. Glancing from left to right in an exaggerated fashion, he said innocently, "_I don't have a problem. It seems to me like you're the one having problems." _He glanced lazily up at the furious Ash Ketchum, waiting for the explosion. Three, two, one…

"JUST WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?" Ash shouted, face red with his hands balled into fists.

"_See? Problems. Let's keep moving. You've been saying we're almost there for the past half an hour,"_ said Edward. He darted up ahead, leaving a flabbergasted Ash breathing heavily in his dust. Ed snickered. That boy was just so easy to wind up. But, he was actually doing some good for the boy. Someone had told him once that the first step to fixing a problem was to admit you have one. Maybe, he could get Ash to think on it.

Meanwhile, Ash was standing in a dust cloud trying not to think about strangling Edward. After a few moments of executed self-control he let out the big breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in and sighed. He couldn't believe it! That little Pikachu was so annoying he didn't know what to do. Problems? Of course he had problems. His best friend had died! It didn't get more problematic than that!

_But what are your problems? _whispered a voice in the back of Ash's mind, but he pushed it away. Right now, he was just going to focus on getting to his master. After that, he would think about what he would do about the Pikachu named Edward.

"_Daaaang," _Ed said softly, his furry paws on his hips. "_Not a bad spot for a picnic or whatever."_

It was a beautiful lake, the color of sapphires with gentle white beaches of sand. All around were expansive rock formations and couple humungous trees. The air was filled with the sound of whispering leaves and the whisper of the waves lapping the shore. All in all, it was a pretty good spot for some R and R by Ed's standards.

Ash replied calmly, looking out across the water, "I don't come here for picnics. I come here for training."

Ed felt a glimmer of excitement. "_Did you say training?"_ he asked, automatically rolling his shoulders. He loved to train, to make his body as strong as it was going to get. "_Who's your training master?"_

Ash laughed and flinched at the same time. "My master is a Mewtwo, one of the most powerful Pokémon in the world. However, sensei's real name is-"

"_Well, well, well…" _said a voice from behind them, a voice that reached deep into Edward's mind and brought back so many terrifying memories. "_If it isn't my old apprentice. Still messing with thinks too big for you, I see." _Slowly, Ed turned around. There, behind him was a purple Pokémon that looked slightly like a mew. It was shaped more like a human though, and stood upright. It had purple horns and a long, looping tail, as well as cat-like feet. But Edward didn't care about that. What shocked him to the core was that the purple Pokémon was speaking to him in the voice of his old master, Izumi Curtis.

"S_-sensei,"_ Ed managed to stutter out, before swallowing hard. Oh boy was he in trouble now. "_I see the Gate made you a Pokémon too."_ Ash gave him a look of surprise.

Mewtwo/Izumi leaned over, a manic look in her eyes. "_Damn right it did," _she said, cracking the knuckles on her three fingered hands. "_And I hope you remember what I taught you, because right now I'm about to kill you."_

Ed's eyes only had time to widen in fear before a ball of blue and black light shot out of Izumi's hand and hit him straight in the chest. He was slammed back, hitting one of those lovely rock features he had noticed earlier. As pretty as it was, slamming into solid rock at about thirty miles per hour hurt like heck. However, he couldn't afford to stay still. His life depended on it. So, he quickly hauled himself to his feet and dashed away, closely pursued by an angry incarnation of Izumi Curtis.

Ash smirked, watching the pandemonium. Rocks were flying, shadow balls were going everywhere, and Edward looked like he was going to die any minute now. Leaning against a tree he smiled, just a little. _At least she isn't going after me, _he thought fervently, watching as Edward went flying through the air. _Twenty feet, _he measured mentally, calculating the distance. _She never threw me past ten. Edward must have really pissed her off. _Watching Ed run in circles, screaming for help had a certain appeal. Ash smiled a little more, his eyes crinkling in a way that hadn't happened in a while.

His train of thought was cut off abruptly when a Pikachu went flying into his face. Ash was suddenly nose to nose with a wide-eyed traveler Pokémon. Edward grabbed his face, holding on for dear life. "_GET OUT OF THE WAY!"_ he screamed, clinging to Ash like a Furret. Thinking quickly, Ash dove to the side in time to dodge a shadow ball that would have probably blown his head off had he not moved. Ash landed on his side, throwing Edward clear. Not wanting to die at such a young age, he got up quickly and started running, followed closely by a frantic Pikachu and a very angry Izumi.

"_How do I fight like that?" _Ed yelled at Ash, flicking his tail at Izumi as they ran at high speed.

"Why should I help you?" Ash yelled, diving left to dodge a stream of dark fire. Rolling to break his fall, he kept running as Ed executed a perfect back handspring to avoid an incoming missile. "You've been nothing but annoying since I left Oak's place!"

"_Well, you did save my life once,"_ Edward panted, zigzagging frantically. _"You must have had some sort of reason!"_

"Maybe I've re-evaluated my opinion since then," muttered Ash, diving behind a large rock formation. Using the breathing time, Ash watched as Edward dodged. He was good, but clearly outmatched in that small body of his. Watching this, Ash felt a small sense of vindictive pleasure. _I should let him suffer, _thought Ash bitterly. _He never even thanked me for saving his life!_

_**-I hope that you're always kind.-**_

A sudden memory, sudden sorrow. Ash touched a hand to his face and sighed angrily. Dang, these memories kept on sneaking up on him. The memories were like the shadows on his bedroom wall; just as he thought he'd forgotten about them they came back again and scared him. But this time it wasn't fear it was…what? Whatever the emotions were, they just would let him rest. Ash slumped in defeat. _Fine, _he sighed internally. _Fine._

"Ed!" he shouted, cupping his hands so he could carry over all the noise.

"_What?" _Edward shouted back, stilling running away.

"Think of lightning!"

Edward blew up as he shot past Ash's hiding place, yelling over his shoulder. "_Lightning? That's the stupidest idea I've heard all day!"_

"I'm not the one about to die here!"

"_Right! Fine, I'll try it."_

Edward spun to a stop, bracing his feet to the ground. He furrowed his brow, concentrating his whole being on one thing; lightning. The way it flashed, how he'd watched it in fascination as a young child at the window, the flash of transmutation discharge that sparked through the air like fire… As he delved deeper into the imagery, he felt a strange sensation, like his whole body was filling with energy. It felt wild and uncontainable, like a horse that had yet to be mastered. It felt almost like a transmutation equation, filled with live energy. Instinctively, he clapped his hands together and felt his cheeks spark.

"Let it go, Ed!" he heard Ash yell. Summoning his strength, he pushed the energy from his body.

"_TRANSMUTE, DAMNIT!" _Edward yelled, and pulled his hands apart.

A storm of electrical energy left his body, with electricity radiating from him like a small sun. It arced and leapt, searching for the one air born target in the area. It found her, knocking her out of the air and onto the ground, slightly charred from lightning damage. Edward, unable to maintain the massive energy output, stopped the electricity and sat hard down on the ground. After a few seconds to catch his breath, he ran over to where Ash was kneeling next to Izumi.

"_Sensei!" _Edward yelled, his golden eyes afraid. He knelt down beside her, touching her shoulder. "_Are you okay?" _Edward asked urgently.

The next thing he knew, he was flying through the air from the force of Izumi's backhand. Rising easily to her feet, Izumi looked over at Ed, where he lay ten feet away. "_Never let your guard down near an enemy!" _she barked, glaring at Ed and at Ash, who had been thrown by her psychic powers into the lake. He was sitting there choking up water. Ed was simply groaning, beyond words. Izumi's eye twitched. "_You hear me?" _she yelled, powering up two shadow balls.

"Yes ma'am," Ash sputtered, coughing up the last of the water in his lungs.

"_Yes ma'am," _Edward whimpered, rising unsteadily to his feet.

Looking at the two, Izumi's stance softened. She gently floated to the ground. "_Come here, you two," _she said softly. Both moving slowly, both with their heads down in shame, they came. Ash stood directly before her, while Ed stood a little to the side on an outcropping of rock. Neither could raise their gaze from the ground.

Izumi walked up to Ash, stopping directly in front of him. Her purple gaze nailed him to the ground, even though he could not see it. "_I have every damn right to be mad at you," _she said sharply, staring at Ash's head. "_You as well," _she shot at Edward, her regal purple head tilting as he hunched his shoulders. Both stood there, taking it. As if they wanted to be punished. No, as if they deserved to be punished. She turned back to Ash. "_Ash, I thought I taught you that giving up on life is never an option. Never. There is always a better way than to simply give up on life. Pikachu would have wanted better for you." _Ash flinched, as if struck by a blow. Izumi paused for a second, then turned to Edward. "_Ed, what the hell happened? Haven't you sacrificed enough? Caused enough people pain with your foolish, impulsive actions? What is Alphonse going to do now, without his big brother there to guide him?"_

"_He's dead," _Ed said quietly, eyeing the torn ground. "_I simply charged my body with alchemic energy, grabbed Envy as a bargaining chip and followed him." _His arms hung loose at his sides, his body speaking of defeat.

"_What about Winry?" _Izumi asked sharply, narrowing her eyes to slits. Edward froze, standing as if ice had taken hold of his limbs. "_She's always been waiting for you, you know."_

Edward swallowed hard, once, twice. _"I guess-I guess she'll have to stop waiting," _Ed said shakily.

"_But will she?" _Izumi asked seriously. And Edward had no answer.

Kneeling down on the ground, Izumi pulled them both into a hug. Edward leaned in just a little, burying his face into her sweet fur. He had thought he'd never see his teacher again. When she had died, claimed by the disease that brought blood up from her lungs, Edward had felt like he'd lost his mother again. Where would he go, what would he do without his sensei yelling at him to keep him straight, pushing him to be stronger? But he'd sucked it up, comforted his brother, and only shed his tears that one night after the funeral. And now, she was here, and Edward could tell her how much he had missed her, how much she meant to him. He wrapped his small arms around her, feeling very much like a small child once more.

Ash just stood there, not taking it all in. He was fighting the memories that sprang to the surface, feelings he had tried so hard to suppress. He had tried, really tried to not succumb to the waves of agony but now they beat against him like the waves of the ocean. Pikachu was dead, Pikachu was gone, and he had no purpose anymore… Gently, Ash leaned his head against Izumi's shoulder.

Izumi sighed above them. "_You two have been hard on yourselves. There is no need to hold it back."_

Horrors upon horrors, Ash felt tears start to crawl down his face and into Izumi's fur. Shaking his head frantically he tried to stop them, but they kept on dripping down, like the silent rain inside his heart. For so long, he had only been crying on the inside. Now, the rain was finally pouring down. With a jolt of shock, he realized that it was actually raining. The warm water pouring down from the sky hid the salt water falling from his eyes. It had been raining that day…

Ash began to sob into Izumi's shoulder, holding her close. "I let him down!" he sobbed, his grey eyes seeing the inside of a burial shroud. "He trusted me, and I let him down!"

"_Never," _Izumi whispered, stroking his black hair. "_You could never let him down." _And Ash poured out his grief, the tears of a child with his world torn apart. His shoulders shook, as he cried into the rain and the coming storm.

In the wildness of the pouring rain, no one noticed a small figure standing alone by the lake. Edward, seeing Ash struck broken by Izumi's compassion, had quietly slipped away. Anything he had to say to his mentor could wait. Right now, that broken boy needed her more.

Gazing up, he looked into the rain and the churning dark clouds that had swept the sky. It had been raining that night… Why did everything seem to tie back to the rain? Nina's death, the day his mother died, the night he tried the ultimate folly and had almost lost everything doing it…it all came back to the rain. Stretching his yellow arms out Ed felt the rain on his paws. _Both _his paws. Looking up once more, he observed the water pounding on the lake and the way the wind whipped through the trees. With the clouds blackening the sky, it looked so dark. Everything was so dark. Darkness and the falling water rippled his field of vision.

Ed looked at his arm. No longer metal, once again he could feel the wetness of the rain, crawling across his fur. Was it worth it? Giving up his world, going after Al, had it been worth leaving his life behind?

The Pikachu's head was bent, his golden eyes fixed on the ground. "_Al," _he whispered, raising his head, to stare out across the lake. "_Winry." _Edward didn't know what to feel, didn't know what to do anymore. What good had his choice done to anyone?

"_I'm sorry."_

And the rain poured down.

* * *

Weeeellll? You guys want to try for something new? Twenty reviews and Ed get a cake!

And if you don't like cake, review anyway!


	7. He lives!

Well, here I am again. I apologize for the time it takes to update. There are a myrid of reasons, one of them being on-going health problems. But don't worry, I'm still writing!

As I don't want to bore you with details of my boring life, I'll try to keep this short. We are starting to move a bit furthur into the plot line, and I am having lots of fun writing this. Also, something you should know is my other online nickname is The Cat, the one from The Cat in The Hat. Okay, enough said.

Ed: Hey Cat, I've been hearing strange rumers lately...

Cat: About what? (small sweatdrop)

Ed: Cake! Where is it?

Cat: Phew! I thought you had found out about your impending demise.

Ed: WHAT! (goes pale)

Cat: Just kidding!

Envy: But I can fix that for you.

(manic laughter and the sound of screams)

Envy strikes again!

I do not own Pokemon or FMA. If I did, I would have all the Pokemon movies, Misty back in the tv series, and the newest FMA book already.

Chapter Seven

_Two weeks later…_

"Work harder! Run faster! Keep it up, or I'll kill you!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"_Yes ma'am!"_

For two long weeks, Ed and Ash had trained separately and together. Both had gotten a little rusty, but with Izumi's loving (cough not really cough) help, they were both currently up to speed. Edward had taken some extra training, as he was not used to the Pokémon manner of attacks, but with a few late-night training sessions he had been brought up to snuff. Some of his martial arts training still worked in his new body, and he had sparred some with Ash. As Ash was still fairly new to martial arts, Ed kicked his butt. Multiple times. Even his little body could still pack a punch. Currently Ash was running laps around the lake while Edward practiced maintaining a Thunder Bolt. Izumi was watching from above, managing and encouraging.

Ash breathed steadily through his nose, arms pumping as he sprinted down the beach. Ash was a person who had been born to run, with a lithe body and strong legs. At his school he had always come first in the races and could give some Pokémon a run for their money, literally. Chest and legs burning, sweat trickled down his face as he approached his seventh mile. He was beginning to tire, but he didn't dare slow down. He knew too well how Izumi treated slackers.

Edward, on the other hand, had been outputting energy for the last five minutes. The longest he had held his Thunder Bolt was six, and he was going for a new record. Once he was done learning the Thunder Bolt he would move on to learning the Thunder attack. His body was shaking, his hands and cheeks aching, but that wasn't going to stop him. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and stopped the energy flow, falling to his knees in exhaustion. Staggering to his feet, he checked his stop watch, which was lying on a rock some feet away. Ed smiled. Seven minutes. He was improving.

"_Who said you could stop?"_ Izumi shouted, shooting down until she was touching the ground. Immediately, she spun into a handspring, aiming a kick at Edward's face. Edward rolled out of the way, coming up on his knees and jumping. He had aimer his kick at Izumi's face but had ended up hitting her harmlessly in the chest. She spun around, walloping him in mid-air with her tail. As Ed came crashing to the ground, she yelled, "_You keep forgetting to compensate for your new height, shorty! Pay attention!"_

"_DON'T CALL ME SHORT!"_ screamed Edward, yellow body a blur, and the fight began anew.

Izumi shot a Dark Pulse at Edward, thus opening the battle to Pokémon attacks. Edward countered with Extreme Speed, dodging the attack and coming in for an attack at Izumi's rear. Izumi blocked it, throwing him off and sending another Dark Pulse to follow up the block. It hit Edward square on, sending his small body into the ground. Watching the smoke, Izumi saw him stand, wiping some grime off his cheek.

"_Is that all you got?" _asked Izumi, a smirk on her purple face.

"_Not by a long shot,"_ Edward replied, matching her smirk with his grin. Izumi moved into a ready stance, waiting.

Edward launched himself into the air, heading for Izumi's face. Instead of hitting her head, Edward simply pushed off it and arched down, hitting her in the back with an Iron Tail. At the last second, Izumi, whipped around, blocking with a Psychic shield and countering with a Force Palm. Edward screwed up his energy and met her Force Palm with a Metal Claw. Both struggled, pushing with all their might before the resulting energy explosion blew them both backwards. Skidding to a halt, both observed each other from a distance, eyeing the skid marks in the ground.

Something in Izumi's eyes made Edward pause. He cocked his head, lowering his arms from their ready stance. "_Is something on your mind, Teacher?" _he asked cautiously, knowing that lowering his guard like that usually resulted in a punch to the gut. This time, however, Izumi also lowered her arms. Swishing her tail a little, she observed him quietly.

"_Walk with me,"_ she told him, setting off for the distant lake. She started to walk, cat-like tread leaving paw tracks on the ground. Turning her head, she yelled, "_Keep going Ash Ketchum or I swear I'll knock you clear into next week!" _From across the lake Ed heard a shout of 'yes ma'am!' as he raced to catch up with his teacher and surrogate mother.

For a while, the two walked in silence, both enjoying the beautiful day. The clouds drifted lazily above them, drifting slowly on an errant breeze. The Pidgey and Spearow were singing their afternoon song. All seemed peaceful. Ed never trusted peace. It had a nasty habit of disappearing when you least expected it to.

"_Fate never seems to give us a break," _Izumi remarked, also watching the clouds crawl through the sky. "_It always seems to be something. Just when peace and quiet looks relatively possible, it gets pulled out from under our feet, like some big cosmic joke. I wonder if we were born under a bad star, you and I."_

"_You know as well as I do why our lives are like this," _said Ed bitterly. His yellow eyes were glowing with anger, bred over eight years of fruitless searching, eleven years of fruitless wishing. "_We committed the ultimate sin. We tried to step into the shoes of God, and now he's trying to make our lives hell. A cosmic joke? More like a cosmic punishment."_

"_I don't think that's it," _Izumi remarked thoughtfully, now watching the waves lap against the shore of the lake. Her purple eyes were unreadable.

"_What else could it be?" _asked Ed with a snort. He tossed his head, clearing his yellow fur from his eyes.

Izumi paused for a second, and then asked, "_Do you still believe in Equivalent Exchange, even after all this?"_

"_Yeah, I guess," _said Edward reluctantly. The truth was, he really didn't know what to believe anymore. Equivalent Exchange had been his bible for so many years that he had long ago stopped questioning its teachings. But loosing Alphonse had thrown everything in doubt. What equivocally justified loosing the only thing he had left in the world? What did all his sacrifices mean then? This was the question he had been grappling with for the past few days.

Izumi saw the doubt in Ed's eyes, but chose to say nothing. "_I do," _said Izumi softly. She gestured outward. "_Look around you. This is a peaceful world. No forced killing, no hunger, no military. Maybe this is what we were looking for all along. It's a place to live out our lives without having to fight."_

"_If Al isn't here, then it all means nothing," _Ed said softly, looking down at his feet. He didn't want Izumi to see the shadow of doubt in his eyes. His paw, where once there had been a metal prosthetic twitched once and then went still. "_Izumi,"_ he said slowly, golden eyes looking weary for the first time in a while, "_How do I know he's even alive?"_

"_I KNOW! I KNOW!"_

Hunching his shoulders and jumping from the sudden attach of noise, Edward whipped around like a bull looking for a red flag. "_**You**__!" _he thundered with electricity sparking off his cheeks, taking flying leap at Mew who was currently floating behind them like some furry pink spectral ghost. They connected in mid-air, Edward currently trying to scratch the Mew's eyes out. Mew, recovering its wits, put up a shield and rose to ten feet.

"_Ouch,"_ Mew whimpered, rubbing its pink head with a small paw. "_I bump my head. Ouch." _He turned his liquid blue eyes on Edward, who was currently trying to leap to Mew's height with bloody murder in his eyes, curses flying off his lips. "_Why'd you do that?_"

"_I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU LITTLE PINK FLUFF BALL!" _Edward screamed, jumping up and down with rage. "_Just when I had grown to a decent height, you take my body apart and make me a foot tall! I'm going to be short forever because of you!" _A demon expression grew on Edward's face. "_But now," _he cackled, surrounded by eerie flames, "_I can make you pay for what you did to me!" _Ed began to jump higher, attempting to take a swipe at Mew. "_Just come down here where I can reach you!"_

"_Meanie," _said Mew sullenly, sucking on his tail.

"Mew!" Ash cried, running from the other side of the lake while waving. It had been a while since he had seen his friend, and he had found himself missing Mew's company. Plus, the last time they had seen each other hadn't been under ideal circumstances. Ash had been trying to save Ed's life, though sometimes he wondered why he had bothered. The Pikachu was just an unwelcome reminder of something he wanted to forget, and a pain in his butt to boot.

Ed watched as Ash plucked Mew out of the air and spun him in a circle. His black hair was flying, and the black tank top he wore flapped in the wind. This was most likely occurring because Ash had lost a lot of weight, and it was beginning to show. This sparked some concern in Ed, but he set it aside to be addressed at another date. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, Edward watched with vested interest as Ash hugged Mew close while the pink creature giggled.

"_Ashy, stop it! Tickles," _Mew laughed, squirming in Ash's arms, but looking like he was enjoying himself.

"It's good to see you," said Ash forcefully, a small but genuine smile gracing his lips. There was a little more light in Ash's eyes than there had been before. If you looked at the boy, you no longer felt like you where drowning in darkness. Lots of training and a few talks with Izumi had help set his feet on the path to recovery.

Mew nuzzled Ash for a moment and then leapt into Izumi's arms, while Edward sat there, choking a little. "_Mommy!"_ Mew squealed, blue eyes filled with adoration at he nestled into Izumi's long, purple fur. Izumi did not reject the little Pokémon, but simply nuzzled him once with her angular muzzle. Edward's golden eyes almost bugged out of their sockets.

"_Why…is he calling you…Mommy?"_ Ed managed it choke out, tail twitching in distress.

"_Long story," _said Izumi, releasing the small pink feline and standing serenely on the scuffled earth of the training grounds. "_Now," _she said, turning to the Mew, who was twitching like some hyped up two-year old on chocolate bars. "_What did you know that you wanted to tell us?" _

"_Oh!" _Mew said, yes lighting up as it remembered what it had come here for. "_I know! I know!"_

"_About what?" _Ed scoffed, turning to walk away.

"_About Alphonse!" _Before he could say any more, Edward slammed into him from the side, pinning him to the ground with a paw at his throat. Terrified, Mew curled up into a ball paws over his eyes. Burning above him, Edward's eyes were calm and deadly cold, hardened to frozen gold.

"_What do you know about Alphonse?" _Ed asked slowly, sparks flying from his cheeks. Mew simply whimpered, curling up tighter. "_Well? Answer me!"_

"Ed! What are you doing?" Ash yelled, stepping forward to pull the Pokémon off his friend. He didn't know what was going on with Ed, or what had him freaked out so bad. But, he knew this had to stop before someone got hurt. And seeing Ed standing over Mew the way he was, Ash knew it would be him or Mew getting hurt, if that's what it came down to. He preferred if it would be him, as Mew was too much like a child for him to allow him to come to harm.

"_Stay back,"_ Ed said quietly, still facing away from Ash. Determination blazing, Ash took another step, broad shoulders tensing for battle.

"Edward," he said warningly, eyes cautious. He took one more step.

"_I said STAY BACK!" _Edward yelled, whipping around to look at Ash. Though Ed's body was one line of hard tension, yellow fur standing up in spikes, his demeanor was not what sent Ash reeling. It was his eyes, his expression. Edward's eyes boiled with hope, fear, desperation, and longing. They knocked Ash back a step with the intensity of their gaze. This was a man who had a goal, a dream and was committed to it heart and soul. The eyes of someone who had been offered hope when he had nothing to lose, and had grabbed it with the tenacity most use to cling to life. Something meant everything to Edward, and Ash felt a chill and he watched Edward heave each panting breath. And by the gods, Ed was going to do something out of desperation that might be dangerous.

"_Ed," _Ash heard Izumi say angrily over to his left, out of sight. He could not break his gaze from the wild-eyed Pokémon. "_Step back and let him talk. Now" _Ed simply bared his teeth and kept glaring wildly into Ash's eyes.

"_You don't know what you're dealing with," _Ed rasped out, voice roughened by some emotion Ash couldn't identify. But it shook Ash to the core with realization, affirmation, because he recognized Ed's face as his. The one he saw looking in the mirror, the darkness there, he saw in Edward's wild eyes. Something reached them both in that gaze, something that was perhaps two souls swallowed in the darkness recognizing each other. Two people struggling desperately towards the light. And in that endless moment in time, Ash wondered if he wasn't the only one who needed saving after all.

Ash took a deep breath, feeling the connection lodge deep in his heart, and buried it away. It suddenly came upon him that he knew the right words to say. And he spoke them, weighting them so each would carry through the rage and the pain to reach Edward.

"Don't make mistakes, Edward," Ash said to Ed, blue eyes burning with a fire Ed hadn't known he had possessed. "Not when it matters. Not on the things that hurt the most." They struck Ed in the heart, tearing apart his rage and his fear like tissue paper. Removing his paw jerkily from the throat of Mew, he stepped back and ran a shaking paw through his yellow fur, over the backs of his ears.

"_I already have," _he said softly, just loud enough for Ash to hear. Then he turned and faced the rising Mew, who was shaking his head drowsily. Blinking, the pink Pokémon floated closer, despite Izumi's snarl.

"_You hurt," _said Mew softly, cocking his head like nothing had happened. Edward's shoulders stiffened and then slowly relaxed.

"_Only on the inside," _he told the pink Pokémon, golden eyes guttering for a moment. Ed leaned back onto a rock, ignoring Izumi and Ash. "_Now," _he told Mew while holding perfectly still. "_Tell me what you know."_

"_He lives," _said Mew to his audience, not turning at Izumi's quiet sigh of relief. Ed felt hope bloom again, kindling his fires of determination. Once again he had a reason to live, a purpose to drive his existence. Mew continued, running a paw over his ear, "And_ he is somewhere in the region."_

"_That's good, Ed," _Izumi said encouragingly, looking hopeful herself. "_That means he can't be too far away."_

"Wait a minute!" Ash cried holding his head and feeling very confused. "Who is this 'Alphonse' person you keep talking about?"

"_My brother," _Edward said simply, and said no more, but Ash could feel the strength of love behind those two words. Pure, undiluted love and dedication radiated off Ed like waves in the ocean. Ash got the feeling that if a bus was about to hit this brother of his, he would jump in front of it with no hesitation.

"_Well," _Ed said with conviction in his voice, "_There's no time to lose. I have to get moving as soon as possible." _He started to move, running towards the cave where they had stored their packed gear.

"Wait!" Ash called, but Edward had already zipped off like lightning. In exasperation, he turned to Izumi, black hair ruffled in all different directions. "Is he always like this when it comes to this brother of his?"

"_You haven't seen the half of it," _Izumi murmured, watching Ed come back dragging a pack the same mass as his body behind him. Ash seemed to struggle with himself for a minute and then with a sigh, he got up and took the pack from Edward, slinging it over his shoulder.

"So, where are we going first?" Ash asked wearily, looking down at Edward for some sort of direction. Edward frowned in thought.

"_The closest town I guess," _Ed said, brow furrowed in speculation, "_Then we can work are way around from there."_ He looked at Ash quizzically. "_Why are _you _coming?"_

Ash grunted and shrugged. "I have nowhere better to be," he said simply, not looking Edward in the eyes.

"_Sure," _Ed drawled a little, trademark smirk on his face. Maybe, just maybe they could reach past their pasts and their hurts and travel together as friends. Maybe they could even help each other to heal the wounds time had dealt them. Then again, maybe there would be magic reindeer and Roy Mustang would show up and flame his ass. They were all equally likely.

"_Okay! Mommy, say goodbye to Ashy and Eddy!" _Mew chirped as he raised a glowing paw.

"_Oh, not again,"_ Ed groaned, rolling his eyes and preparing for the worst. Ash being a little more informed, reassured him he wasn't about to be transformed or anything horrifying like that.

"Don't worry Ed, he's only using Teleport."

"_What the hell is Teleport?"_

"_Take care," _Izumi told them both warmly, smiling a cat smile and raising a paw before the two new travelling partners disappeared in a flash of light.

"_I hope those two will get along," _Izumi said, shaking her head. She and Mew looked at each other for a minute. "_Nah," _they said together, then walked into the woods together, looking for all the world like mother and son.

* * *

Bonus Story: Will You Be My Mommy?

Izumi sighed as she floated through the treetops, kicking the occasional branch. She missed her old life. Sighing, she looked up at the cloudy sky, rain threatening to unleash its full power. She sighed, deciding that if it rained, she would just seek shelter below the canopy. It wasn't like she minded the rain all that much. But the rain, that had fallen so often where she used to live, reminded her painfully of home. She really didn't need the pain. She had had enough of it in one lifetime.

When it came down to it, she missed her old life dreadfully. She missed the house, she missed Sig, and she missed the children that used to come to her, looking for favors with sparkling eyes. She missed being able to take pleasure in her role as a butcher's wife. She dreadfully missed her two young pupils who had been like surrogate sons to her, and wondered how they were doing. Those two boys tended to get into trouble when there wasn't anyone to watch them, and lord knows she didn't trust that military dog Mustang to keeps them out of mischief. He got into too much mischief himself to do that. Even so he was, as much as she loathed admitting it, good for those two boys. It did them good to have a father figure when their own father had run out on them. Izumi wondered whether Alphonse had his body back yet.

She was missing a lot, but the rainforest was nice. She sighed when a wave of rain burst down from the sky, attacking her with rock-sized drops of water. It was nice when it wasn't raining, of course. Quickly, she dropped below the canopy to get out of the now pouring rain.

Using her new Pokémon powers to make herself dry again, she quickly ducked into a root cave to avoid more soaking water. Studying the latticework of roots above her head, she sat down on the cool, dry earth and sighed again. In the scant light of the root cave, she examined her paw. It had taken some time, but she had gotten used to her new, feline body and the powers that came with it. It had taken some time to master, but now she was back at her usual level of skill. But what was all the skill worth when she had no one to teach, no one to spar with? "Maybe I'll take on a pupil…" she murmured aloud in Havares, listening to the soft echoes bounce back to her ears. But no, it would need to be someone truly worth training to make that sort of commitment to the task. Maybe, is such a person came along she would train them. But until then, she would wait.

Maybe this was some form of punishment. Some way the universe was making her pay for the sins she had committed. It could be possible. This world was starting to feel a lot like purgatory to Izumi. Cut off from her friends and family, with no one to train and nothing to do, what was the point of existing here in this damp forest?

Without warning, something cold and shivering nudged her leg. Izumi flew back against a wall bracing for an attack that never came. Instead, a small whimpering sound came from the darkness. Feeling something touch her leg again, Izumi only flinched this time. The creature was trying to curl up against her, probably looking for warmth. Looking down in the faint light, Izumi saw a small pink cat-shape desperately trying to curl up against her. Frozen in shock, Izumi stared. Then it mewled again, and her mothering instincts kicked in.

She slid to the floor, gently reaching over to touch the small creature. At first, it flinched back from her hand, but then sniffed it gently with a small pink nose. Allowing the contact, it rubbed up against her hand, asking for warmth and affection. Pulling the creature into her arms, she rocked it gently, feeling the tremors of cold and fear subside. "What's your name?" Izumi asked gently. The creature looked up at her with baby blue eyes, snuggling deeper into her fur.

"Mew!" it cried softly. "Mew, mew, mew!"

"Okay then," Izumi said softly, still rocking the small Pokémon. "Your name is Mew. Do you have any parents?" The baby just looked up at her with blank eyes.

"Mew," it said sadly, then buried its head in Izumi's fur.

"I guess not, little Mew," she said, now simply holding the baby to her chest. "I bet you can't talk yet, either."

"Mew," the creature yawned, and then fell asleep snuggled in Izumi's arms.

"What should I do with you?" Izumi asked softly, still rocking the baby gently in her arms. She didn't know what to do. The little thing didn't have any parents, couldn't even speak yet. How would it survive in the wilderness of the jungle? She couldn't just leave it here. The very thought was abhorrent to her. Izumi realized, rather belatedly, that she was getting very attached to this baby. She didn't just _want _to keep it, she _needed _to keep it. So she would.

Izumi realized what this was. It was a second chance at a life she lost, a second chance at raising a child. Maybe this wasn't this world wasn't a punishment. Maybe this world was a second chance, a reward. She couldn't know for certain. How could you, after all? She had already died once and she _still_ didn't understand how it worked. But is she had any money, that's what she would have bet on.

So she stayed through the night, waiting out the rain with a sleeping baby in her arms. And when it had stopped, and she was flying away from the jungle and into the sunrise, the baby snuggled closer and murmured, "Mommy."

And Izumi Curtis fell head over heels in love.

* * *

So, what do you think? Should I do more bonus stories in the future? If you want them review, review, review! Ed will have that cake soon!


	8. Old friends

Wow, you guys are lucky! Two chapters in a matter of days! And more on the way, seeing as I've got part of chapter nine done. You really have my siblings to thank, who whine when I've come to the end of what I've written. Anyway, I got the new FMA book! I was so excited, I went on a book spree and bought three more books. I found something really cool. It's a series called Nightschool that's written by an American author. Even though it's still a fledgling series (three books) I really like it!I'd rate it above Fruits Basket and above FMA. So, if you're looking fro something new, try it out.

Now ,about the story...

I am debating whether or not to put Ed/Win in the story. I will try to set up a poll so you can decide whether you want that in or not. Sorry to say, I have most of the other pairings all picked out, so I'm sorry but you'll just have to deal with it! There are also a number of things that I haven't decided, such as whether Envy or Hoenhiem should show up, or wheter Ed sould be allowed to use alchemy or not. If you have any input, review or PM me and I'd be happy to hear your take on it.

Oh, and I don't own anything. Just the plotline and my wonderful writing talents. (haha not really)

Now, on with the show.

Chapter Eight

____________

"_That dumb, freaking fuzz ball! The next time I see him I'm going to rip his tail off!"_

"Oh, calm down Ed. It's just a little water."

________

"Easy for you to say, you don't have fur!"

So, in this manner, Ed and Ash arrived in Pewter City soaking wet and arguing. Ash really didn't mind all that much, but Ed was a little more annoyed. Walking down the street with Ash, he kept shaking his head and rubbing his body. So far all he had managed to do was make his wet fur stick up. Ash, on the other hand, had his jacket over his shoulder and the backpack over the other. He was smiling, a rarity for him, and was walking down the streets like he owned the entire town and had lived there for years.

__

"Have you been here before or something?"

Ed asked sourly, squeezing water out of his ears. He looked around the street at the houses and shops, taking it in. The houses were small and quaint, just one step up from a country house really. The street was bricked and tidy with many street lamps. It was a nice mix of rural and urban. A quiet city, Ed concluded, but not far enough in the sticks to be out of the way.

"_Where is this friend of yours?"_ asked Ed, watching the people and Pokémon go about their business. _"Maybe we could stay the night."_

"I don't think so," Ash replied, still walking. He seemed to know where he was going and had a place in mind. His smile faded a little. "I was fairly awful to him the last time I saw him. He'd probably punch me in the nose. We'll stay at the Pokémon Center."

"_You can stay at Pokémon Centers? Well, that seems convenient," _remarked Edward, who was still easily keeping pace with Ash despite the fact that he was still soaking wet.

Glancing over at Ash, Ed was astounded at the change. This person was nothing like the boy he knew. He was relaxed, confident, and even somewhat pleasant. A far cry from the antisocial wreck he had known while they had trained at Izumi's. He still looked antsy, and uncomfortable around people, but altogether he was better than he had been. Maybe it had to do with him being away from the place where it all had happened, or being at an old haunt. However, Edward thought it had more to do with traveling again, being on the move. Seeing as Ed had done a lot of travelling himself, he knew once you started it was hard to stop. Ash looked so comfortable with being on the road it seemed like a second skin. Something to ask about later.

Done with his observations, Ed went back to bitching.

_"I still can't believe that furry monster dumped us in a freaking pond. A pond!" _Ed exclaimed, waving his arms around. "_The next time I see him, I'll…"_

"I don't think he meant to do it," remarked Ash. He turned a corner and Ed followed. "He probably just missed by a bit, that's all."

_"A bit, my ass. When I…"_ Ed growled and then sunk into incomprehensible muttering. Ash just rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. Ed sure knew how to carry a grudge.

Reaching the distinctly designed Pokémon Center, Ash walked in with Ed still grumbling behind him. It was filled, as usual, with people who wanted their Pokémon healed and people who wanted to challenge the local gym. Pokémon of all kinds were crowded in, and Edward stared openly at some of them, simply marveling. As soon as Ed and Ash walked in the door, all the Pokémon in the room's heads turned their way. Ed was met with expressions ranging from curious to hostile from the Pokémon. After a few tense moments and a few stare downs, all Pokémon went back to their business. They were all a little tense though, and stayed close to their trainers. There was some muttering from Pokémon and humans, but none loud enough for Edward to make out.

"What was that all about?" Ash murmured to Ed, looking confused and worried.

_"Who knows," _Ed murmured back, still watching a few Pokémon. They both walked through the hall towards the counter. Before they could reach it, however, they were intercepted by three Pokémon. Ash looked at them, recognizing a Butterfree, a Squirtle, and a Syther. Ed, of course, just saw a butterfly, a blue turtle and weird green thing with blades.

"**Got a problem?**" Ed asked coolly in Havares, sizing the three up in case things turned ugly. Three against one was hardly fair, but Ed was pretty sure he could take them. Probably.

"**You smell funny," **the Squirtle said, stepping forward and identifying himself as the leader. "**Are you gonna cause trouble? Because we don't want any trouble here."**

There were so many things Ed could have said to him, most of them possibly ending in a fight. But Ed swallowed his snide remarks and tried to make a good first impression. Mustang was always whining about how he couldn't take him anywhere because he couldn't control his mouth. It was probably true, too. So, Ed tried the diplomatic approach.

"**Look buddy, I'm not going to cause trouble unless you do. I'm not here for a fight," **Ed explained, looking the Squirtle dead in the eye.

The Squirtle seemed to take his measure for a moment and then nodded. "**Okay. I believe you. He's alright!" **the Squirtle shouted to the rest of the Pokémon. Everyone who was a Pokémon relaxed, going about what seemed to be their normal business once more. Looking back at Ed, he said, "**I mostly have the run of this place. If you need anything, let me know." **Then he turned with his companions and walked back to a girl who seemed to be their trainer.

"What was that?" Ash asked, curious. He could understand Pikachu in general, but he couldn't understand any other kind of Pokémon. Therefore, he didn't have a clue to what was going on.

_"Just taking my measure," _Ed said to him, then noticed the trainer of the Squirtle and company walking over.

"I'm sorry," she said to Ash, looking apologetic. "They're usually pretty well behaved. I don't know what's gotten into them today." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Marla. Marla Green. It's nice to meet you. I always enjoy meeting fellow trainers."

Ash looked at her for a moment, then took her hand and shook it briefly. "Ash," he said shortly. "Ash Ketchum."

"No way!" she gasped, looking shocked. "You're the one who placed in that national tournament, aren't you? The gym leader's best friend?" Watching as he gave a little nod, she smiled. "That's so cool! I should have known because of your Pikachu. It looks very strong," she said, bending down to Ed's level for a closer look. Bite me, Ed thought but didn't say it out loud in case her Pokémon heard. Then he'd be in real trouble. She stood, rising to look at Ash, who to Ed's eyes looked like he was about to run out of the Pokémon Center. "It's so cool I got to meet you. Thanks for your time, and if you need anything while here, let me know." Then, she turned around and skipped back to her Pokémon, looking like she'd gotten a freaking birthday present or something. Ed was astounded. This guy was some sort of celebrity or something. People knew him by reputation alone. The questions were just building up, but he'd hit him with them later. Right now, he had to stop Ash from fleeing the Pokémon Center as fast as he could. So he opted for a little comic relief/ribbing.

_"Should I kiss your feet or something?"_ asked Edward sarcastically, golden eyebrow arching as he added a little bow.

"Shut up," Ash growled, and stalked to the counter. Ed followed smugly, tail twitching. There, he began to talk to the strange-ladies-who-all-looked-alike about getting a room for the night while a rolling-egg Pokémon Ash told him was a Chansey asked him what it was like to be Ash's Pokémon. After listening to her inane chatter for ten minutes, Ed was about to rip her to bloody pink pieces when another man walked up to the counter. He had a Xingese appearance, with dark skin and narrow eyes. His spiky brown hair was short, and he was fairly tall. He had pants and a green vest over his shirt. Walking in like he owned the place, he immediately began a poor attempt to hit on the freaky-nurse.

"Hey there, beautiful, could I have a-" He turned, caught sight of Ash, and halted, almond eyes widened in apparent shock. Ash had also stopped in mid-sentence, and was staring openly at the dark skinned man. Both seemed rooted to the spot. Edward almost said something, but decided to wait and see how this played out.

Since he was watching, Ed saw the brief flash of anger before the man's fist shot out and connected solidly with Ash's nose. From the looks of it, Ash could have dodged it if he wanted to, but instead chose to take the hit. Boy, he must have really deserved it to stand there and take a punch like that.

"Argh!" Ash groaned, feeling the blood gush down his face as his nose began to throb. Straightening, he turned to Ed conversationally and said, "See, I told you so." Any other words were forestalled as he was suddenly enveloped in a hug. Surprised, Ash barely had time to register the fact before the hug was over and he was being yelled at. Ed simply looked on, mildly amused.

"God damn it, Ash Ketchum, we've been worried sick about you! We didn't hear from you for weeks and weeks, and when we came around you blew us of, Misty's still hurting, and god it's good to see you again not deep in some depression induced coma!" the man yelled, a little breathless by the end of his rant. Looking like he was about to start again, Edward made some sort of noise and he turned to look at him. The sight of him stopped him cold, pallor leaching into his dark complexion. He seemed to have been rendered speechless. He put a hand on the counter to steady himself. "What?" he breathed, still staring at Edward like he had seen a ghost come back to haunt him.

Ash put a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we should discuss this back at your house," he murmured, eyeing all the people who were watching the little scene. He didn't like being put on display, and was feeling more than a little uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on him. Turning to Nurse Joy, he said quietly, "Cancel the reservation, please, I'll find somewhere else to stay."

The man took a steadying breath, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah," he said slowly. "I think that might be best." Jerking his head for them to follow him, he walked out, and Ed followed him immediately.

Catching up, Ed asked, _"Who is he?"_

"He's Brock," Ash replied, looking down at the small traveler. "He's the gym leader for this town, a good friend, the best darn cook you will ever meet, and the person who is probably going to kick my butt."

* * *

It was a nice house, Ed thought as he looked around. Modest, but very nice. Well-kept, too, unlike some men he knew who didn't take care of their houses at all (Mustang). Walking through the front door and into the living room, Ash and Brock sat down on opposite chairs. Ed, deciding he wanted to get in on this conversation, jumped up onto the arm of Ash's chair and sitting down as well. Brock's eyes followed him, never leaving as he watched for something Ed couldn't identify.

"So," Ash said, looking around with apparent interest. "You finally moved out of your family place. Congrats on the new house, it's nice." The blood was still drying on his face, making it look slightly macabre.

"Yeah," said Brock dryly. "Something about what you said, what was it again? Oh yeah, 'you're a mamma's boy who doesn't have the balls to move out of his mother's house'. Really lit a fire in me, that's for sure." Ed winced, and so did Ash.

"Look, Brock," Ash said, leaning forward. "I didn't mean any of that. I was mad, I was angry, hell I was a lot of things. I'm sorry, for all of it. I'm sorry for hurting you, and Misty as well. You two are my best friends, and I hope that's you can forgive me for screwing up like that."

"I already have," Brock said calmly, not looking the slightest bit angry. Ash rocked back, looking shocked. "Although," Brock continued, looking thoughtful, "I can't speak for Misty. You're going to have to go through hell if you want to get her back."

"Then I will," Ash said forcefully, and with the look in his eyes Ed didn't doubt it for a minute."

"What really pisses me off," said Brock, still calm and collected, "Is the fact you took that little dive in the lake. Now that, you are going to have to explain to me, Ash Ketchum."

Ed watched as Ash looked down at his knees. Ed simply sat there and listened. Ed knew something terrible had happened to Ash, something he was still hurting over, but he still didn't know what or any details that pertained. Heck, he really didn't know a lot about the guy, having spent all of three weeks with him. Hoping to have some of his questions answered, he simply waited for the boy to start talking again.

Still looking at his knees, Ash began to speak slowly, quietly. "After Pikachu died in that mudslide, I was so jumbled up inside. I didn't know what to feel, what to do. After I gave him back to nature, I went back to the house and just sat there. How was I supposed to exist when my partner, the center of my existence was gone? The next few days are pretty blurry, but I remember you and Misty coming to visit, staying with me. Then, in the middle of the night, it hit me. He was never coming back. Ever. I didn't think I could live with that. I'm still trying to figure out how to live without him. So, I walked down to the lake and swam out, thinking maybe I could see him again. I think you know the remember," Ash said, looking at Brock with darkness pooling in his eyes.

"Yes, I do," said Brock, looking off into the distance. "Vividly."

"Well, after you and Misty saved me, they took me to the hospital and spent awhile fixing me up. They gave me a few days to wallow before they called the psychiatrist. That's when you two came to visit me. I was mad, mad at a lot of things, and I took it out on you two when you were just trying to help. I wish I hadn't." Ash paused, hands balled into fists as he poured out his heart. Ed could guess how hard it was to say this all out loud. But the fact that he could do so said things about his improvement. The kid was getting better, Edward mused, smiling. It would be slow, and painful, but there was hope yet for Ash Ketchum.

"After I got out of the hospital, I spent all my time in the house. Wallowing again, I suppose. But I managed to snap out of it some, with a little help-" he glanced at Edward, "-and here I am."

Brock just looked at him for a while. Ash looked back, and Edward looked between them, just for fun. Finally, Brock said, "You screwed up."

"Yeah," Ash said, giving a weak chuckle and mussing his hair, "I screwed up big time."

Brock leaned back. "Well, as long as you understand that I don't see a reason to bring it up again. Now," he continued, "Why don't I have Max give you something for that nose and you can tell me what the deal is with Sparky over here." He gestured at Ed, who was about to say something when Ash jolted in his seat, almost knocking Ed off.

As he crawled back onto the arm of the chair, cursing in Havares, Ed heard Ash exclaim, "Max is here! But how? Why?"

Brock chuckled. "He's here as my assistant and apprentice. He wants to be a breeder, but I'm giving him some battle training on the side. I'm gonna teach him everything I know."

Ash chuckled. "That'll be good for the both of you. Max is sharp, and a quick learner. He got a Pokémon yet?"

"Two, actually," Brock replied. "That Ralts he met and a Zigzagoon his father gave him as a going away present. He considers it better than a starter. I'll go get him now."He rose, making to walk out of the room, but pausing. "It's good to have you back, Ash," he said, emotions making his voice unsteady.

"It's good to be back," Ash said simply. Brock nodded and walked out of the room before anyone could see the tears forming in his eyes. Silence took hold.

After a minute of silence, Ash said quietly to Edward, "Are you going to judge me now?"

_"No," _said Ed steadily, looking Ash in the eyes so he would know he was telling the truth. _"You've done some pretty stupid things, but I've done stupider." _Ash looked surprised and a little curious, but didn't ask.

"Hey," Ash said, examining the lamp shade, "Is it okay if I tell Brock about you?"

_"I'm not stopping you," _replied Edward, taking Ash's seat and cozying into it. _"I really don't give a crap who knows as long as you don't turn me into some roadside freak show. By the way, who's this Max kid?"_

"He's a guy I know. Smart as hell with a memory as good as a Pokedex. I did some travelling with him. Last I heard he hadn't gotten his license to be a trainer yet. He's learning from the best if he wants to be a breeder. Now, if he wanted to be a trainer he'd have the second best teaching him and the best giving him pointers."

_"Let me guess," _Ed drawled, smirking. _"I think I know who the best is."_

"Well," said Ash, flopping onto the couch and putting his feet up on the coffee table, "I try to be modest."

_"I wasn't talking about you,"_ Ed scoffed, trying to look disdainful. _"I meant that Gary guy. He looked pretty sharp."_

"Why, you," Ash began, leaping to his feet as Ed burst out laughing. Watching the hysterical Pokémon, Ash grumbled and sank back into his seat. "Watch it," Ash said. "I'll get you when you're not looking."

_"I'm quaking,"_ Ed snickered, regaining his composure. Only to be assaulted with loud noise and a flying boy rushing by him on the way to Ash. He looked like the typical nerd with big glasses, a t-shirt, and shorts that were too big for him. He looked about twelve, and was shorter than Ed used to be, he noted with satisfaction.

"Aww, geez Ash, look what you did!" he exclaimed, looking at Ash's nose and bloody face with mounting horror. "What did you do?"

"More like what did Brock do to me," Ash replied easily, running a hand through the kid's hair to mess it up. "It's good to see you, Max. How've you been?"

"Never mind that!" the kid exclaimed, pushing a cold, wet towel into Ash's hand. "Here, put that on it. Were you fighting? Geez, you two need to get a grip," Max muttered, looking on as Ash pressed the cold towel to his nose with a wince. Brock entered the room from a door to the right, and Max rounded on him. "Why'd you have to hit him?"

"It's okay, kid, I deserved it. He did what he had to do, and it isn't even broken. I'll be fine," Ash assured Max, trying to get him to relax. After a moment of observation he did, sitting on the couch next to Ash as Ed was sitting in the other chair. Brock sat back down, looking at Ed where he had made himself comfortable on the chair.

"Now," he said to Ash as Max looked on curiously, "You have some explaining to do." Ash sighed. He really didn't know quite how to break this one to them. But before he could say a word, Ed beat him to it.

_"I'll do the explaining here. My name is Edward Elric, the once and always Fullmetal Alchemist."_ Ed watched smugly as jaws dropped and eyes bugged. He smirked at their reactions, leaning coolly against the back of the chair. Ask looked a little amused as well. _"Nice to meet you. Shall I give you a moment?"_

* * *

Well, now I'm having problems with the program. Great. By the the way, Edward needs reviews and he's getting kinda whiny over here, so please review before he wreaks my eardrums.


	9. Stories and Shadows

Hi! Here I am again, updating with another fast chapter. It's good to have my story flowing again. I must say that I'm impressed with the amount of people who review this story. Thank you all for actually taking the time to give me feedback and support. I really apreciate it. (breaks down and cries all over her computer) Well, I have one person in paticular to commend. My profound thanks to Maddy-neco, who wrote me this page long review. It really made my day, and is the reason I'm putting this chapter online now.

On a sepperate note, Edward has earned his cake! Yay!

Ed: Cake? Who said cake? Is it mine?

Cat: Yup. It's all yours!

Ash: Wait a second! I'm a main character, too! I want some!

Ed: (evil gleam in eye) Back off if you ever want to see the light of day again.

Ash: (more evil gleam in eye) What did you say, you little half-pint MIDGET!

Edward attacks with Super-special-awesome Thunder Bolt!

Ash loses 297 hp points.

Ash faints and is unable to battle! Ed wins!

Ed: What! WHERE IS THE CAKE!

Roy: Munch munch.

Ed: Noooooo!

Ed did get the rest of the cake. I, however had to clean up the bodies. Sigh.

And now for the clincher. I don't own any of this, and therefore can't sell it and become a millionare overnight. The world is a cruel, cluel place.

* * *

Chapter Nine

Two pairs of eyes stared at Ed in blank disbelief. Ed smirked a little, running a hand through his hair. He loved shockers. It was worth it for that moment of stunned disbelief. And from the looks of things, this should be fun.

"What?" Max exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Though he was in motion, his eyes never left Ed's. "This can't be!"

"Interesting," Brock murmured, seeming to come back to himself and began to puzzle. "That is very interesting indeed." Max began to pace the confines of the room; much like a caged tiger would, muttering to himself. Brock turned his attention back to Ed, who was currently talking to Ash.

"Was that really necessary, Ed?" Ash sighed, gesturing at Max and Brock. "You could have given them a heart attack or something."

Ed smiled a little, bouncing in his chair. _"Aww, Ash, it was just a little fun! The looks on their faces,"_ he snickered, _"Were just priceless."_

Ash conceded, "Well, they were kind of funny, but don't you think that was just a tad unwarranted? You could have let me do all the explaining, and then eased them into this. But, no, you had to do it your way, didn't you?"

"_So what if I did?"_ Ed retorted, rising to stand on the edge of the chair. _"Seeing as it's my secret, I think that I should get to tell them how and when I liked."_

"But they're my friends," Ash said angrily, on the edge of his seat now, leaning in, "And since you're travelling with me-"

"_Who say's I'm traveling you with you? It's the other way around!"_

"Now look here-"

"Hey!" Brock said sharply, causing the two of them to turn and yell 'what!' at the same time. Coming back to themselves they both realized that they had both been yelling, and that Brock and Max were now staring at them like they had two heads each. Cheeks reddening a little Ash leaned back, while Ed snorted and crossed his arms, looking the other way while standing. Brock looked evenly at the two of them, then said, "Now that that's over, let's try to have this explained in a civilized manner, shall we? Max, sit back down and we'll let these two explain."

Ash looked at Ed giving him a nod. Sighing, Ed shrugged his shoulders and began to speak.

"_I know I look like a Pokémon to you, but I'm not. I am a human from another world, who was sent here by something you might call God and I call the Truth. My younger brother was sent here and in an act of desperation I followed him. That damned nuisance Mew took my old body and gave me this new one. When I came here, I had the same injuries that I had sustained on the other side of the Gate. Ash somehow found me and brought me to a Pokémon Center. Since then we have been traveling together, as I am looking for my brother."_ Ed sighed, waving a hand. _"Let's get any questions you have out of the way now, before you pester me to death later."_

"How can you speak to us?" asked Brock.

"_No idea," _said Ed, digging some ear wax out of his ear. "_I vaguely remember Mew saying something, but I can't remember details."_

Max, wide eyed, asked hesitantly, "I don't want to be rude, but…how did you get those?"

"_Get what?" _Ed asked, then followed Max's gaze. "_Oh, these! The scar above my eye is from a wound that never really healed. It just got re-opened so many times it came out as a scar. The weird fur on my chest is the Flamel, a symbol of equivalence and balance." _He pointed to the hollow of his throat, where a small symbol was etched in white fur.

After a moment of silence, Max cleared his throat. "And…the other ones?" Max asked looking awkward and curious at the same time. Ed just turned and stared at him, making Max squirm in his seat.

Just as Max was about to apologize, Ed said, "_I like you. You aren't afraid to asked questions, a fine attribute that will none the less get you in trouble. My answer to your question is there are some things little boys aren't meant to know. Trust me, by the time I was your age I had already sold my soul. You're just better off not knowing."_

"Oh," Max said, relieved he wasn't about to get yelled at. "Okay." However, the two older boys shared a look. Ed was being a little suspicious, and they both didn't like uncertainties. It was something Ash was sure they would discuss later.

"Ed, how exactly are you going to go about finding your brother?" Ash asked to distract them from the tense silence that had begun to form in the room. Everyone relaxed, glad to be off heavier topics.

"_Well," _said Ed, looking thoughtful, "_My appearance and overall being in this world are unusual. So, I thought we could start looking for unusual occurrences in this…what did you call it, a region? It should be the fastest way to find any more 'travelers' such as my brother."_

"That's a good idea," said Brock, looking impressed. "Tomorrow we could all ask around town and find out if anyone's seen something strange. In the meantime, you two can stay for as long as you need to."

Ash looked troubled. "Look, I really don't want to impose on you or anything," he began, but Brock simply shook his head.

"But you aren't imposing, so it's fine," he finished; watching as Ash finally gave in and nodded. Turning to Max, Brock said, "Why don't you show Ed to his room and answer any questions he might have. Ash and I still have some things to discuss."

"Okay," Max said reluctantly, looking like he wanted to stay with his friends. He drug his feet up the stairs, Ed following with only a single look at Ash. Only when the two were gone did Ash relax completely, feeling mostly at ease with his old friend. He settled further into his chair, watching as Brock dropped his mentor mask and become the friend Ash knew once more.

"Okay Ash," he started, leaning forward in his chair, "What's the deal with Edward? How much do you actually know about this guy?"

"Not much," admitted Ash, looking at the lines of tension carved in Brock's face, "But enough to know he's telling the truth."

"And do you trust him?" Brock pressed, hands balled into fists on his knees.

Ash paused, thinking about it. "He doesn't tell us everything," Ash began, "And I think there's more going on to him that meets the eye, but funnily enough I think I trust him. As far as I can tell he's been nothing but straight with me since I met him. He even helped me out, said some stuff that made me think, and got me going. I owe him."

Brock sighed with relief, the tension draining out of his face. "Alright. If you trust him, I trust him. You know where I'm coming from," he said dragging a hand across his face. Ash nodded, because he did. A year ago one of Brock's little siblings was kidnapped. Although she was found and returned within hours, it had really shaken Brock up. He was very careful now about who he trusted. Through he was still open with his friends.

"It's weird," Ash said, running his hands through his hair in a familiar gesture. "Something happened to him. Something bad. All I know about him is his house burned down, he would take a bullet for his brother, and that's he's done something he really regrets. There's, like…" Ash paused, searching for words. "A shadow," he said finally. "A shadow in his eyes. He's seen things no person should ever see, I'll bet."

Brock said nothing, just sitting there looking at his best friend for he saw the shadow in his friend's eyes as clearly as he saw the one in Ed's. A shadow that spoke of darkness.

Looking around, Ash smiled and said, "A place all your own, huh? Well, are you going to show it to me or are you going to let me wander the house and cause untold damage?"

Brock laughed. Now here was the Ash he had known and missed. "No," Brock said, rising easily and brushing off his vest. "I think I'll give you the tour."

"Come on!" Max exclaimed, kicking a bedpost. Ed, not paying attention simply looked around the room. It was pretty basic. There was a bed, a desk and a chest of drawers for clothes. The bathroom was down the hall, the kitchen and living room down the stairs. The outside of the house had yet to be explored, but Ed made a mental note to do so. He liked exploring new places, and he liked to know the layout of things in case something unexpected came up. It often did. Content with his surroundings, he climbed up onto the bed and sat next to Max, who was currently sitting with his hands balled into fists.

"_What's eatin' ya?" _he asked simply, running a paw along the bedspread.

"They're cutting me out," Max said through gritted teeth. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists. "I hate it when they do that."

"_What have they been keeping you out of?"_ Ed asked curiously, bouncing on the bed a little.

"I don't know!" Max burst out, slamming his hand down on the bed. "All I know is last month something happened! Brock went away on a trip. When he came back, he was…different. He seemed fine, but there was this coldness I've never seen in him before. But when I tried to find out what happened, he just told me it was nothing and pushed me out of things! And he's been keeping secrets like he doesn't trust me or something!" Max's shoulder's dropped, and he pushed aside his glasses to wipe away his tears. "I just want to know, what's happening, that's all," he said in a quiet, choking voice.

Edward sighed. Darn little kid had managed to worm his way into his heart after five minutes. He didn't know what about them got to him, but while he reacted badly with people his own age he always adored kids. It was probably because he was a big brother or something. He really didn't know what he could do, seeing as he barely knew him and he was one foot tall, but the poor kid was hurting and he had to try something.

"_Hey," _he said, laying a paw on Max's knee. The poor kid was sniffling, desperately trying to hide his tears. He was twelve after all, and he didn't want Ed to think he was a crybaby. "_Sometimes people do stupid things because they think it's for the best. I had a-" _he paused, not knowing exactly how to describe Mustang, "-_a friend who kept me out of the loop all the time. Sometimes it did more harm than good, but mostly it kept me from doing something stupid. And as much as I loathe admitting it his heart was in the right place. Besides, they're down there keeping me out of the loop too, right? So it's not just you after all."_

"Yeah," said Max, whipping away the last of his tears. "I guess so." He paused, looking at Ed sideways. Ed knew that curious look anywhere.

Ed sighed, golden eyes closing for a moment. "_Okay kid, what do you want to know?"_

Max didn't even blink. "What is it like, where you come from? I want to know everything!"

"_Everything, huh?"_ Ed laughed, amused because the kid was so much like he had been, before his life had turned upside down. "_Geez, I can't tell you everything, it would take too long!" _Now it was Ed looking sideways at Max. "_But, I can tell you some stuff, if you want to hear it."_

"Yes please!" Max cried, nearly jumping up and down in his excitement to learn about a world that wasn't his own. Ed laughed, collapsed backwards onto the bed and began to talk. Soon, Max followed suit, engrossed in the tales that Ed told. Ed told him about how there were no Pokémon, the way people lived their lives, and the town of his birth. He told him about Central and East City, as well as the many places he'd been. He told him a little of alchemy, how it worked and the basic tenants it followed. Caught in his story telling, he found himself telling Max about the people who had meant the most in his life. He talked about the people in the office, and related some pranks that made Max smile. He talked about his boss, and squeezing a laugh out of the boy as he ranted about how useless he was on rainy days. He talked about Granny and the auto-mail shop, barely touching on Winry before moving on to subjects that didn't hurt so much. He spoke fondly of the Hughes family, especially of Maes as he talked of the man who would always show you a picture of his daughter. He shivered as he described his teacher.

What he did not speak of was the military, or his involvement in it. He did not speak of the Homunculi. He did not speak of The Truth. And most certainly did not speak of his brother.

What he was finally done, he looked up through the window and realized the sun was about to set. Delicious smells were rising from the kitchen below. Scanning the room he was startled to find Ash leaned up against the door-jamb, looking amused and almost as enraptured as Max did. Ed pulled himself to a sitting position, scowling.

"_How long have you been there?" _he asked, with his voice a little hoarse from so much use. Max also pulled himself to a sitting position, still looking a little miffed with Ash but smiling from the stories he had been told.

"A while," Ash said easily, sliding off the doorjamb and walking over. "Brock was here, too, but he had to go make dinner. Which is ready, by the way, so you better wash your hands," he said, and Max walked out of the room with little complaint. Stopping outside the doorway, he turned and shot one final remark back at Ed.

"It's Max, not kid," he said fiercely, then turned and ran for the bathroom. Ash walked over and sat on the bed, looking down at Ed. Looking at him had stopped causing a constant twinge in his heart every time it happened. All he saw was Ed now, with his scars and his secrets and interesting character. It was still weird to see sharp human intelligence in his eyes, but impossible to forget he was human. Every time you tried he would make some sort of remark that would bring you back to the fact. Even as a Pokémon Ed wouldn't shut up.

"_I like him," _Ed said easily, swinging his short legs as his ears twitched. His snout was twitching too, taking in the scent of cooking stew, his favorite dish. Maybe he would have a little, for old time's sake. "_He's a smart little kid."_

"I'm glad you like him," Ash said, brushing his black hair out of his eyes. If you looked close, his clothes were becoming a little worn out, but he didn't seem to care. "I thought he was a little know-it-all when I first met him."

Ed chuckled, looking at Ash's face. His grey eyes were tired, but there was some happiness in there. His hair was wild though, falling every which way at once, even while long. "_I was a little know-it-all when I was a little kid, so I know the feeling."_

Ash smiled, grey eyes flashing with humor for just a moment. "I'm glad you two are friends," Ash said, scooting off the bed and rising to his feet. "I think it went a long way to revising Brock's opinion of you. He likes you now."

"_Goodie," _Ed said sarcastically, also sliding off the bed and dropping to the floor with a thud. "_I'm glad he hated me before."_

"He didn't hate you," Ash protested. "He's just…cautious."

"_I can respect that," _Ed said easily, showing that there were no hard feelings. He walked out the door, heading for the kitchen. "_Now, let's see how much of that stew this Pokémon body can handle."_

"Edward!" Ash said, running to catch up to the little Pokémon. "Not too much, or you'll be sick!"

That night Edward ate Pokefood and some stew in the company of what he saw as friends, and was surprised at just how many there were already. And they talked and laughed together. Later, after the food had been eaten (a lot of it by Ed and Ash, who were both known for their appetite) Ash and Max retired to their beds while Ed lingered downstairs, keeping Brock company as he washed the dishes. Both were telling each other about their lives, and what they did for a living. Brock had explained about what a Breeder did, after a violent initial reaction from Edward. Ed told him about the travel and research he did, and a little about alchemy.

After the final dish was washed, they both lingered for a short while. "Well," said Brock, rising to his feet from where he had been seated at the kitchen table and stretching, "It was nice to talk with you, but I better get to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow, what with all the searching we have to do." Turning to go, Brock heard the skitter of paws across the table before a paw on the back of his shirt stopped him.

"_Wait a moment," _he heard Ed say. "_I have two things I need to discuss with you." _

Hearing the seriousness in Ed voice he said, "All right," and sat back down at the table. Ed stood in front of him, looking as serious as a Pikachu could look.

"_First thing is about Ash. He's been really screwed up for the moment I saw him. He's been getting better, but I want you to know I've been keeping an eye on him. From what I gather he tried to take his life, and want you to know that I'll be watching him in case he tried to do something stupid like that again. I don't think he will, but I don't think I could take seeing a suicide again," _Ed said, and looking at him there, in the faint light of the kitchen Brock saw the darkness Ash had described shining in golden eyes. The shadow that spoke of despair. But Brock knew what Ed was trying to say, in his round-about way. He was saying that he cared. Ed cared about Ash, and was trying to help him in his own way. Brock knew it was working, too, as he compared the Ash he saw two months ago to the one he saw now. Something about the little Pokémon was healing Ash. Brock winced a little, feeling guilty for not trusting Ed before. He was doing more help to Ash than he had, he thought with some bitterness. But not much.

"He'd better not do something stupid again," said Brock lightly, "Or I may have to punch him harder."

Ed nodded. _"Dually noted,"_ he said dryly. He scuffed his toe across the table, not knowing quite how to ask what he was going to ask. "_From what I understand," _Ed said slowly, "_Max means a lot to you."_

Brock blinked, not sure where this was going. "He does," he admitted, shifting a little. "He's like a little brother to me. Why do you ask?"

"_You really shouldn't keep Max out of the loop," _Ed said suddenly, getting right to the point. "_I know there's been some serious shit going down, but keeping him out isn't helping him. He's angry and scared, and if he means something to you, you should try to make sure he's not angry or scared. All he wants is to know you trust him," _Ed said quietly, looking at the table so he wouldn't look Brock in the eyes. "_So be straight with him."_ In the silence that followed this statement Ed jumped down from the table, taking an instant to marvel his two flesh feet.

He had walked through the door when he heard Brock say, "I didn't really trust you this morning, but I think…I think maybe I'll trust you on this. I won't tell him everything, but I'll tell the truth." Ed shuddered briefly, thinking about the only Truth he knew.

"_That's all I needed to hear," _said Edward, and then walked on. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he thought about sleeping in Ash's room and just couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to go up the stairs and into the room. Turning instead to the backdoor, he walked through a doggy-door with a brief grimace of disgust then looked into the blackness of the night. Finding a nice patch of grass, he lay down like he used to on Yock Island, missing his brother's warmth beside him. Looking up at the stars, he once again felt like just a small One moving through the All of the world.

Silently, he sent a thought to his brother. _I'm going to find you Al, _he thought as he looked into the night sky. _I'm going to find you if I have to search the stars. _As he sent this last thought to the universe, underneath the stars, he closed his eyes to the world.

That night, he dreamt of black hands pulling his brother into the darkness of the Gate. And when he violently woke, there was no one there to hear his screams

* * *

I think I should go for a joint present this time, so more people don't end up dead. Including me. I don't want to die! Therefore, when this story reaches 100 reviews, the cast gets a party in a special bonus story! That way, they get to have fun and I get to screw around with their characters! Mwahahahaha! So anyway, review!


	10. My feet kill!

Hi, people! I'm back, with another installment to this wonderful story! I'm sorry it's been so long, but I've had school and such. Plus, I've put out three other stories since I last updated Fullmetal Thunder, so my time hasn't been wasted. If you want to read more FMA stuff of mine, you should read Bar Club Fun. It's really funny, unless you hate songfics like my beta does. She almost throttled me for making songfics out of her favoriote characters, but I lived, sothere will be more!

Anyway, thank you all for beiung patient, and I'll stop babbling and get on with the chapter!

BTW, I still don't own this. Too bad, really.

* * *

Chapter Ten

The morning mists rolled across the land, covering Pewter City and preceding the dawn. The sun had yet to rise, and the orange glow had just started to tinge the mountains red. The field in the back of Brock's home took on an ethereal feel, like something from another world. It is here where Edward sat on a rock and waited for dawn to come.

Not a word left his lips, not a single hair moved on his head. He simply watched the field and the mountain, waiting for the sun to come and paint the sky red like blood. Edward was deep in thought, desperately trying to think of a better way to find his brother. Going over and over the situation in his head, thinking and wondering and wishing, he was still stuck with the same plan he already had; search the country-side for him. And Ed would, too, until he had found Al or died. It was the only way.

Watching the green pines burn with the light of the coming sun, Edward rose from his place on the hill and stretched, loosening his tense muscles. Last night he had awoken from a nightmare, and had called out for Al only to have no one answer. Ever since he had been unwilling to fall asleep, to fall back into the swell of nightmares that threatened to overtake him. So he had simply laid awake, thinking as he listened to the night sounds and waited for the dawn. Having found the dawn, he was still no where closer to peace of mind than he had been in the middle of the night.

He wondered how things were doing back home. This had been the first time he really had thought about it since the day he had arrived in this strange world. He wondered how the auto-mail shop was doing. He wondered if Granny and Winry and Den had fled the country yet, trying to escape the war with Drachma. The last time he had seen them they were still dishing out auto-mail to soldiers who had lost their limbs. They probably haven't moved an inch, refusing to leave while there were people who needed their help. Thankfully when he left the war had been ending, and Furher Oliver Armstrong had been starting to put the country back together. As the person who had fought the Drachmens for the last twenty years, she had been the natural choice to lead the country. General Mustang had been steamed about it, but he had gotten over it. After all, he had moved up in the ranks and the country wasn't being run by a genocidal artificial human. Hawkeye was still with him, guarding his back when he did something stupid like risking his life to save his squad from enemy fire.

He missed them all.

Rising to his feet Ed shook out his fur, grooming it back into perfect order. Now that the sun had risen, he planned to walk around a bit before going back into the house. Setting out for an outcropping of rock in the middle of the field, Ed set off at a decent pace, the mist starting to disappear. His strides were long and confident as he looked around, checking out the scene.

He wondered if they thought he was dead. When Al had been captured, Ed had been on a military scouting mission. In truth, it was a scam used by Mustang to keep him out of the last of the fighting. Funny how things there had turned out to be more dangerous than the front lines. After Ed tore the abandoned city apart, Envy had knocked him out from behind. When he awoke it was to excruciating pain and the sight of his brother being killed before his very eyes. They probably assumed he had gone AWOL to escape the war and the country. Some days Ed wished he had.

And now he was here, in a foot tall body, with his brother missing. God, Murphy's Law was a bitch.

Ed gave a little huff, watching as his breath swirled out to join the retreating fog. The valley was clearing up, dawn burning the last wisps away. Looking out at the rolling hills, Ed wished he could do more to change his current situation. But he couldn't, and there was no use moaning about it. Turning around, Ed trudged back towards the house, making a noise of disgust in the back of his throat when he walked through the doggy-door.

In the kitchen, Brock was moving around with a dancer's grace, preparing breakfast. Over by the kitchen table, Max was fidgeting in his seat while Ash looked like he was going to kill someone if he didn't get coffee. And he meant _now, _god damnit. Ed, feeling the same way, sighed with longing. He could really use a cup of coffee right now, seeing as he was functioning on five hours of sleep. Wearily climbing up the back of Ash's chair, he plunked himself down on the table. Ash looked at him briefly with bleary eyes, then turned back to Brock and whined, "Does your coffee machine go any faster than this? I think I'm going to die of old age before my coffee is even close to being ready!"

"Calm down, Ash," Brock said, grabbing toast from the toaster while flipping eggs at the same time. After many years of traveling with Ash, he had learned to ignore him in the mornings. Ash was a sloooow waker, and until the sun was shining bright in the sky he wasn't much use for anything except taking up space and whining. "Breakfast is almost ready, and your coffee should be done in five seconds."

"Yay," Ash said with little to no energy, resting his head down on the table.

"_Be grateful," _Ed grumbled from where he was seated. "_I can't even _drink _coffee anymore."_

"Edward," Ash said sincerely, turning his head on the table to look in his direction, "I have no idea how you survive."

Max snorted with laughter, hair still a little rumpled from sleep. He was dressed in his regular clothes and looked like he got up this early every day of the year. Ash, however, was still in the clothes he had worn yesterday and looked like sleep had not come easily, if it had come at all. "I'm sure he manages somehow," he said brightly, not a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"_How can you be this chipper this early in the morning?" _Ed asked, looking at the clock. "_It's six-thirty. I'm never up this early, unless I'm training. The it's get up at five or die." _He and Ash exchanged a look of shared commiseration, remembering all the early morning training sessions they had endured.

"I always get up this early," said Max. "I just got used to it, I guess."

"By the way, Ed, where did you go last night? I didn't see you when I got up," said Ash a little fuzzily. Ed looked at him, knowing that Ash had probably been up until three, and had noticed that he had not returned to the room.

"_I slept outside," _he said with a shrug, wiping a bit of dirt off his face. "_I just didn't feel like sleeping indoors." _In actuality, he had been too tired to make it up the stairs on his now stubby legs. Plus, he felt that Ash could do with some time away from a person who constantly reminded him of a past tragedy.

"Breakfast is ready!" Brock declared, just as the timer for the coffee pot went off. Immediately, Ash showed more energy than he had in the past five minutes, jumping up in a burst of speed to dash for the coffee pot. Brock, who was carrying a platter of eggs and bacon, neatly evaded him and set it down on the table. Ash, pouring the black liquid gold straight into his cup, quickly took a sip. He winced as it burned his tongue a little, but sighed with happiness as the warmth flowed through him. Walking sedately back to the table, he and Max began to heap their plates with food, while Ed looked on enviously. Brock, having prepared Ed's meal before starting breakfast, set down a bowl of berries in front of him. Ed brightened up at the prospect of eating something other than Pokefood, and began chowing down with gusto. Brock, smiling a little at all the ravenous eaters before him, sat down and began to help himself to what little food there was left.

"This-is-so-good!" Ash exclaimed between bites. Swallowing, he said in a state of rapture, "It's been so long since I've had your cooking. I'd almost forgotten what it tasted like!"

"Brilliant as usual, Brock," said Max, and Brock smiled at the compliments.

"I can make seconds if we need to," he said, eating at a more sedate pace than Ash and Max. "It's nice to cook for a lot of people again."

"_Hey Brock, what are these?" _Ed asked, holding up a Pokeberry. "_They taste soooo good! Plus, they don't all taste the same. The blue ones taste like blueberries, but the red ones taste more like pecans." _Brock proceeded to explain what Berries were, and Ed took in this new piece of information as the others finished their breakfasts. It was a nice atmosphere, filled with comrades and untouched by dark thoughts. Afterwards, when they had finished their meals and were now drinking their coffees, Ed decided to get down to business.

"_Okay, so I'm going into town today. I'll ask around and see if anyone had seen something strange. If I hear any rumors, then I'll follow and do some extra digging. If not I can just keep going until I've covered the entire town. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated," _Ed said calmly, finishing off the last of his berries. Looking around, he gazed at the faces staring at him from around the table. They might not know it, but this was as close to asking for help as he ever got. If he wanted to get Alphonse back, he was going to need all the help he could get.

"It's not like I have anything better to do," said Ash casually, stretching from his seat. Belying his relaxed stance, Ed saw the emotions beneath the surface of his face. Devoid of a path or any sort of purpose, Ed's quest was quickly becoming Ash's own. He badly needed a goal, and when provided with a mission he had taken it without question. Ed felt an odd sort of relief, knowing there was someone else who shared the same goal that he did. He took comfort in the fact that his quest could help Ash regain some of what he had lost.

Ash really didn't know why he was feeling this way. Before, Ed had just been a nuisance, an annoying travel companion who he decided to put up with on a whim. He hadn't known or cared to know the reason behind his travel. But now, things were different. Ed was a real person to him, though he was still no less aggravating. His journey had become a solid thing that Ash could understand; a quest to save a loved one. It was something he had never had the chance to do. Ed had the chance he hadn't had; the chance to save what was dearest to him in this world. And if Ash could save someone else from the pain he was feeling, he would do it in a heartbeat. He understood Ed on a level that no one else could, because they had both lost the one important person they had in the world. But Ed had that chance for a happy ending, while Ash didn't.

Ash was going to have to do something different; he was going to have to redefine his reason for living. Realizing this to be true, Ash shivered. That thought scared him to no end. It seemed like such an impossible and long task, he couldn't even see where the end would be. But he had no other choice. He had already made the decision to not give up on living, and if he wanted to live this is what he was going to have to do.

Max, seeing Ash was zoned out, deep in his own thoughts, chimed in. "I'll help you out Ed. How could I not?" he asked, smiling at the small body sitting so seriously on the table.

"And I can go too, after all someone needs to keep an eye on those two," Brock said jokingly, tilting his head towards the two boys sitting around the kitchen table. Both scowled, pouting.

"I don't need you to look after me!" said Max, all indignant. "After all, now I have Ralts to help me if I get into any trouble."

"Hey, that right, you got your Pokémon!" said Ash, brightening up considerably. "Let me see 'em, Max!"

"Okay," Max said easily, reaching down towards his belt to grab two miniaturized Pokeballs. Clicking the button so they expanded to their full size, he tossed them into the air. A beam of red light flew from each of them, causing Ed to jump in alarm. Growing in size, the two red beams of light disappeared as two Pokémon took their places. The Pokeballs were neatly caught by Max, who had obviously been practicing to get it right. Leaning over the edge of the table, he saw two small creatures as bizarre as himself. One looked like a raccoon, with spiky fur and a bandit mask over its eyes. The other was odd, there was no other way to describe it. It had a red horn of sorts coming out of the top of its head, was a pale green color, and looked vaguely like celery.

"_Okay, what the hell?" _asked Ed, cocking his head slightly to the side as he looked at the green-celery thing. It cocked its head back, looking suitably intrigued. "_Do these things get any more annoying?"_

"**Play?" **asked the celery-thing, eyes looking sad and lonely. Edward groaned, face-palming. _Great_, Ed thought, rolling his eyes. _It wants to play with me. Flipping fantastic. _

"**Yes, play!" **said the raccoon thing, bouncing up and down enthusiastically. Edward backed on to the table so fast you almost didn't see him move.

"_You keep those things away from me!" _Ed screeched, putting his hands over his ears as the small Pokémon began to babble to each other in Havares, making a racket.

"They aren't doing anything bad!" Max exclaimed, hugging the two Pokémon close. "Zigzagoon and Ralts are just babies, that's all! They haven't really begun to develop yet!"

"What are they saying?" asked Brock, curious. He had always wanted to be able to understand Pokespeech. Ed began to say something, but Ash simply put up a finger, telling him to wait. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, and his brow was furrowed.

"From what I can understand, they're saying simple things like 'food' and 'play', right Ed?" Ash asked, not entirely sure. Ed nodded his yellow head, looking annoyed.

"_It's a lot like baby babble, really. Not a lot of coherency from these two," _he said gesturing at the two Pokémon who were now tussling together on the floor. Max gave an affectionate sigh before sending them back to their Pokeballs. The kid looked over the moon happy every time he saw his Pokémon, Ed realized. Maybe he had underestimated how strong the bond between trainer and Pokémon was.

"That's impressive, Ash," said Brock, leaning back in his chair. "Where did you learn that?"

"From a friend," Ash said evasively, and Ed could pick up the stricken look on his face. He must be re-experiencing some sort of memory. Wanting to draw the conversation away from Ash, Ed turned to the others and said hastily, "_So, you want to head out? The sooner we start the sooner we'll finish."_

"Sounds good to me," replied Max, who slid off his chair and raced to get his shoes on. After he left, a still hazy Ash got up and also walked out of the kitchen. Ed and Brock exchanged a glance, but said nothing.

"Hopefully this won't take too long," remarked Brock, also getting up to put on his boots. Ed, hopping off the table into a rolling tumble, picked himself up and followed him out.

"_It's just one dinky little town," _said Ed to Brock, looking confident. "_This shouldn't be too hard. We'll be back in time for lunch, right?"_

* * *

Wrong, Edward. Dead wrong.

When Ed finally managed to pull himself back into the house, it was far past sunset and his feet were killing him. Dragging himself through the pet door, not even stopping to think about how undignified that was, he stumbled through the kitchen and into the living room. There, the three other men were all sprawled in various positions of exhaustion. Pulling himself up onto the chair with one last burst of energy, Edward collapsed in a boneless heap, ears flopping to his head while his tail hung over the edge like a yellow streamer.

After several minutes of panting, Ed managed to gasp out, "_Holy shit! I didn't realized how much longer it takes to get around when your one foot tall!" _It had taken Ed much more time than usual to get from place to place. Sometimes, he tended to forget the restrictions of his new body and overreach his limits. It was frustrating, but no more frustrating than learning how to eat french fries with an automail hand. It had taken him weeks to get that right.

"It's no picnic when your normal sized, either," Ash groaned from his place on the couch. He had sprawled across the length of the three-seat couch and just lay there, looking like he couldn't move a muscle if his life depended on it.

"At least we covered the whole town in one day," said Max tiredly from the floor. He was leaned against Ed's chair, like he had gone for it and then quit halfway. "That way, we won't have to do this again tomorrow."

"You really don't realize how big Pewter actually is until you walk all over it," remarked Brock from his place in the other chair, spiky brown hair even messier than usual. "Did anyone even find anything?" From their respective places, three heads shook.

Ed heaved a sigh. He had been hoping to hear _something, _but he didn't even hear a hint of anything unusual. "_I guess that means we're moving on to the next town in the morning," _he said, not looking at anyone. Suddenly, a heavy silence blanketed the room, smothering the occupants with its heavy weight. None of them could look at each other, for they all didn't know what to say.

"You know…you could come with us," Ash said hesitantly, putting the suggestion out there. He looked over at Ed, expecting some sort of outraged outburst. From what he gathered, Ed didn't like people he didn't know so he had expected him to say something. But he didn't, and that was a mark of how fond he had grown of the both of them in the past few days. Ed glanced over at Ash from the corner of his eyes, and gave Ash a miniscule nod. Taking that as acceptance, Ash turned to Brock, who seemed to be deep in thought.

Max, sensing a pivotal moment, tugged on Brock's sleeve and said winningly, "Please Brock?" Brock, looking at Max's sad little puppy dog eyes, couldn't find the strength in his heart to say no. Besides, it would be a good learning experience for Max to do some more traveling.

"All right," he conceded, smiling when Max pumped his fist. "But," he said, and Max's face fell as he realized the inevitable conditions were coming, "Only if your parents say its okay."

"Okay, I'll go call them now," said Max enthusiastically, finding a reserve of untapped energy as he dashed to the communications system. Brock smiled at Ash, who smiled back hesitantly.

"It'll be like old times," said Brock quietly, smiling faintly while looking down at his hands.

"Yeah," said Ash softly, and Ed could guess what was going through his head. It wouldn't be like old times because there'd be a hole in Ash's life where someone special should be. He knew, because he felt it too. He had never before started a journey without Al by his side. He could almost see the gap in his life where his brother should be, like the vastness of a wintery plain. Ed dropped his gaze to his paws, reminded again of how things were different now. Not just for him, but for everyone.

"_Just like old times," _Ed echoed in a whisper, feeling all the empty spaces around him. Ash, absorbed in his pain, said nothing. Brock, however, was lucid and noticed how both of them had gone quiet and still. Pausing, he almost sensed the gaps in the air the two of them were currently feeling. But, unburdened by pain, he simply turned the other way and wondered when Max would be done with the link. When he came bouncing back, declaring that he had received permission to come the frost that had covered the room lifted. Only the faint chill of hollow spaces lingered behind them as they said their goodnights and sought their beds.

Again, Ed slept alone under the cover of the night sky. And again, when he violently woke there was no one around to hear his screams. But change was coming around the corner, and Ed clung to the last of his solitude tightly as he waited for the dawn to come once more.

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Review, review, review! Remeber, if the reviews reach one hundred I'll write a bonus story! And because I really want to write it...well, you get the picture


	11. And now for our suprise guests!

Hey folks! Wow, over one hundred reviews! I didn't think I'd reach this point, like, ever. I'm sorry to tell you but I'm still working on the party bonus story. In the meantime I thought I would post this chapter just to give you something to read. Schoolwork is killing my writing and posting time.

Ed: Quit making excuses!

Me: I can is I want to, chibi, so shut it!

Ed: WHO YOU CALLIN-

Me: NOW!

Ed: (shiver)

Roy: (walks in and yawns) Did someone call for a pizza?

Me: (sighs) No, Roy. Go back to sleep.

Roy: Oh, ok.

Riza: Who stole my bunny slippers!

Roy: Oh crap.

Anyway... I hope you like the chapter!

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Chapter Eleven

Ash looked around the sparse spare room, the light of dawn shining in through the window. He was sitting in his bed, not even bothering with the covers but just sitting with his knees drawn tight to his chest. Today, things in his life were going to change. No longer would he be traveling the countryside with just Ed for company. Now Brock and Max would be with them, too. Ash didn't know how well he was going to handle the presence of other human beings. Ed really didn't count, for various reasons. One, he was a Pokémon, and even though he had a human mind it still didn't feel quite the same. Two, Ed was similar to him in a way that made them connect on a basic level. Ash really couldn't place the moment where he had stopped hating Ed and began to see him for what he really was. It had just happened over an undetermined period of time. And three, Ed was very non-invasive about things. They had a sort of agreement; Ash didn't ask him about his scars or his brother and Ed didn't ask him about Pikachu or his attempted suicide. This agreement was broken sometimes, mostly when Ash needed a swift kick in the butt, but for the most part it stood firm.

Everything he had brought with him was packed and leaning against the wall. It was a simple backpack that held a sleeping bag, clothes, his old hat and some bare-bones cooking supplies. Ash didn't need a lot. His clothes were still on, though he had taken the time last night to have them washed. There was nothing quite like standing in the cold with just boxers on at four in morning, waiting for the spin cycle to finish. He hadn't slept much that night. On that note, he hadn't slept much this night either. That had become normal for him now, to the point where Ash doubted he could physically sleep the night. At least he could keep some food down now, although he still had to be careful not to eat too much.

Hearing the skitter of paws across the hardwood floor, Ash turned his head and watched Ed slip into his room. Ed's golden fur was rumpled and messy, as if he had tossed and turned a lot in his sleep. Ash sympathized. He knew what _that _felt like. The gleam in Ed's eyes was a little muted, but it was still there. Ash wondered if there had been a time when that flame had gone out, when that blazing spark of life in Ed's eyes had been doused. It would change the whole way Ed looked. But Ash was no stranger to that either; when he looked in the mirror he sometimes didn't recognize the face looking back at him. Ed cocked his head, looking at Ash.

"_I see you're all packed up,_" Ed said casually, walking over to look at Ash's packed bag.

"Yeah," Ash replied, looking down at his hands. "It's not like I have anything better to do at night. I might as well work." Ed merely raised an eyebrow and said nothing, so Ash continued. "It's just…the nights can get so lonely sometimes, when you're the only one in the world awake." Ash looked at the wall while Ed just stared in silence.

After a moment, Ed spoke softly, "Funny. My brother said very much the same thing to me once." Before Ash could say anything, Ed continued. "Breakfast is starting soon, so I'd put yourself in order before going downstairs. Brock and Max got all ready last night, so as soon as the meal's done we're heading out to Cerulean City." Ed turned around with a flick of his ears and walked out of the room, disappearing before Ash could even blink. That was something Ash just couldn't figure out. It was like anytime he volunteered something remotely personal, Ed would always respond in kind. Maybe it had something to do with that 'equivalent exchange' Ed kept telling him about. Ash had been subjected to a rant about its benefits while he and Ed were traveling together.

Ash groaned, realizing his next destination was right in Misty's home town. She was one of the people he had to apologize to. That is, assuming she didn't kill him on sight. He rather hoped his mouth was faster that Misty's killer strike of death. With a small shudder Ash got out of bed, taking the next small step on his long journey.

Ed smiled, looking up at the starry sky above him. The first day of their journey had gone well, considering all the pitfalls they had avoided. If Ed had had any reservations about the two coming along, he lost them in the first fifteen minutes after they helped Ash avoid several time-consuming wrong turns. Brock grumbled, claiming that when they had traveled before the only reason they had gotten so frequently lost is because they had let Ash navigate. Ash had then put up a storm of protest while Ed and Max had just laughed. From the look in Max's eyes that morning Brock had taken Ed's advice and set the score straight with him. Other that a slight wariness of Ash's privacy and personal space, he had acted and treated Ash no different than he had in the past. It was refreshing to see that no matter what Ash did Max still liked him just the same. It made Ed miss his friends back at the office.

The day had gone smoothly, with nice weather and no extraordinary mishaps. Luckily, Cerulean City was fairly close to Pewter City, so they would only be traveling for a day and a half. Ed had spent most of his time riding on Max's shoulder (so he didn't have to walk) while Max pointed out different types of Pokémon to Ed. Edward, being a quick study, was picking up the names fast. Every so often Ash would look over at them but he would quickly glance away, as if the sight pained him. Soon after that, Ed began to walk again, and Ash decided to join the conversation.

Stopping for the night in a field of grass, they had pitched camp with a practiced ease that had left Ed impressed. When asking for an explanation, Ed had discovered that on a person's twelfth birthday, most kids would leave home and travel around as trainers. After being asked if a similar practice existed in his country, Ed had just snorted and said most kids wouldn't last the month traveling in his country. Continuing, he clarified that some kids did leave to get apprenticed, but most kids stuck pretty close to home.

After some more discussion they had all settled down for bed. Max had been out like a light, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Brock had taken some more time but then he too had eventually dropped off. Now it was just him and Ash, two insomniacs staring up at the stars in the dark night.

Ed wondered what Ash was thinking about. Ed had been trying to avoid too much deep thinking lately, and was simply awake because it was his habit. Plus, he didn't want to wake the others if he had a night terror. Ed had discovered the difference between a nightmare and a night terror when he was twelve. Every night for a month he had woken himself with the sound of his own screams. Eventually they had occurred less and less, but the events of his recent past had brought them back with a vengeance.

Ash was, for once, not thinking about much of anything. He was just looking up at the starry sky, wondering what was up there. He also wondered if they would ever find out. He had always had a strong fascination with the stars, even when he was a little kid. They were so fierce, glowing from so far away.

Simultaneously, Ed's and Ash's eyes slid shut, and both slipped into dreams easily. They should have known that nothing is ever that easy.

_Ash was standing on a battlefield, a cold one. The once white plain was a level field of ice and snow, now stained red with the blood of fallen soldiers. Ash couldn't see their faces, but he could see the red, covering the ground as far as he could see. Looking up to the sky, he saw the harsh sun beating down on the ground, setting the diamond snow alight in a sickening mix of red and blue._

_Turning unprompted, Ash looked over to see a lone boy standing in a field of blood. His cloak was red, with a strange black symbol on the back. He wore black leather pants and had an old-fashioned watch chained to his waist. His hair was golden like the sun, pulled back in a tight braid. As hard as he tried, though, Ash couldn't see his eyes. Walking over to the golden-haired boy, Ash watched as he bowed his head, trembling so hard he could barely make a fist to put over his heart. The arm he put to his chest had a ripped sleeve so Ash got a good looked at the metal arm the boy had. Ash blanched, stepping back in surprise. This boy had a fake limb. How could that be? He must have been about the same age as Ash, judging by his height. _

"I'm sorry you had to die," _the boy said softly, head bowed. Standing in silence, Ash watched as a man walked up behind the boy and put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. The man was dressed in a blue military uniform, with dark hair and strange gloves. But like with the golden-haired boy, no matter how hard he tried Ash couldn't see his face, or his eyes._

"Does it ever get any easier?" _the boy asked without turning around. The man seemed to stop and consider the question._

"No," _he said, "_It doesn't. Doing what we do is never easy. We have our orders; all we can do is carry them out and pray for the dead." _Turning around the man began to walk away, back down the field of blood and corpses. Saying over his shoulder, he told the boy, "_At least you're only on defensive detail. None of these deaths are directly your fault." _Ash clearly heard the bitterness in the man's voice, and knew inherently that the man couldn't say the same._

"I know," _said the boy softly, looking up at the cloudless blue sky. "_But it doesn't feel that way." _And the boy turned and walked on, following the man in through the death-soaked field._

Ash gasped, jolting out of sleep. Looking around, he saw that the morning sun had just risen over the hill. His hands shaking, Ash bowed his head and tried to slow his breathing. He didn't know where that had come from. He had never had a dream so clear, so intensely terrifying. He could remember everything; the bloody field, the corpses, the golden haired boy and the dark haired man. It didn't make any sense. Shrugging, Ash turned around in his sleeping bag, trying to get comfortable as he waited for the dawn. But he failed to notice Ed to his left, lying awake as if he dreaded to return to slumber.

"So this is Cerulean City!" Max said excitedly, spinning in a circle to take everything in. Ed understood completely. Cerulean City was the perfect mix between a Mediterranean town and a bustling metropolis. The city buildings, though tall, still had a clean ocean feel to them. The beach, running along the outskirts of the city was filled with people coming to enjoy the last of the warm days before fall truly set in.

"_This is the cleanest city I have ever been to," _remarked Ed from his place on Max's shoulder. After a while, his short little legs had been unable to take another step. So, Ed had clambered on to Max's shoulder and had kept him company. Ed didn't think Ash was the best choice in this sort of situation, so he had left him alone. Ash, giving him a look of gratitude, had gone back to his silent contemplation. Ash had seemed distracted all morning, and Ed couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was the impending approach to Cerulean City and this Misty person he had heard so much about.

"Come on, guys! Misty's place is this way!" Brock called out, waving from up the road. Max followed readily with Ed in tow, while Ash dragged his feet reluctantly. They took a small side road that lead them out of the city, winding up a hill until they came to a house. It sat on the top of a sizable hill, but was still close enough to the ocean to be accessible. Ed judged that the house wouldn't be in any danger of being washed away, either. It would take a severe tropical storm to even reach half-way up the hill. The house itself was a little on the large side, with white walls and a swimming pool out in the back. There was also a large patio with a sliding glass door. The front door was situated on a large porch, which the gang trudged up to with weary feet.

Brock knocked on the front door. From inside, Ed heard the scramble of small feet. This Misty person must be another Pokémon trainer. "Okay, okay, I got the door!" called a voice from inside, and the door was flung open in a blinding burst of speed. If Brock hadn't moved out of the way he might've lost his nose. Standing in front of them was short, red-headed girl, who looked about Ash's age. Her deep red hair was put up in a ponytail, where it fell to about the length of her shoulder. She wore a casual blue t-shirt and shorts that fell about mid-thigh. Not quite curvy, she was more angular and willowy, her frame almost graceful. Her face was sprinkled with freckles, and she had cerulean blue eyes that he had only seen on one other person. Ed winced a little. Trust this world to give him more unpleasant reminders of what he had lost.

At her feet were two Pokémon. One was what looked like a red striped dog, with a bushy tail. The dog-thing had dark blue eyes, so blue they were almost black. The other was a brown cat-like creature that had a tail even bushier than the dog-things. The cat-thing had eyes the color of sherry, reddish-gold and warm. Both struck Ed as familiar which was odd, seeing as Ed had never encounter these types of Pokémon before. He looked at the two Pokémon and they looked back at him, the two on the ground sharing a look like they were having the same feeling Ed was.

Misty's face looked shocked for a moment. Then she looked over the people, and happiness took its place when she saw Brock and Max. Finally, her eyes found Ash. There was a moment when Misty's face went so blank it was scary. Then Ed caught a flash of murderous rage before she slammed the door in Ash's face.

"_Just making friends all the time," _said Ed sarcastically from Max's shoulder.

"Oh, shut it," said Ash absentmindedly, looking like he was trying to solve a difficult math problem. Coming to a decision, he said, "Screw this." Swinging the door open, he marched in after her, pushing aside the two Pokémon who were still lingering near the doorway. Thundering up the stairs, Ash turned a corner and disappeared from view. A few moments later, they heard the two of them screaming at each other from upstairs.

From down on the floor a familiar voice spoke in Pokémon, but with the words snaking into Ed's head and speaking in Amerstian. "_Damn, that chick scares me," _said the red dog thing from the floor, shaking its head.

"_Come now, you should be used to violent loud people by now. You are…I mean were in the military, sir," _replied the brown cat thing, looking disapprovingly at its companion. Ed was so shocked he fell off Max's shoulder. He hit the ground with a thud, and just lay there for a moment, dazed and confused. This could not be. It was just this crazy world playing tricks on him.

"_No freaking way is this happening," _Ed mumbled, shaking his head violently as he rose to his feet. "_I must be dreaming or something like that. No way does life hate me enough to do this." _The dog-thing and the cat-thing both whirled around, looking at the Pikachu with shock.

"_My god," _said the red dog, eyes widened with surprise. He padded closer, peering at Ed more closely. "_Fullmetal, is that you?"_

"_Edward?" _asked the brown cat, stepping closer so that she didn't leave the red dog's side. Ed didn't know whether he wanted to laugh, cry, or scream. Maybe he would do all three, just for a little variety.

"_Mustang. Hawkeye. How the hell did you end up here?" _Ed asked, looking like he couldn't believe the evidence of his own eyes.

"_I could ask you the same thing, Elric. I thought you were on a routine patrol job?" _asked Roy Mustang, the once and always Flame Alchemist.

"_I thought you guys were back in Central?"_ Ed countered. "_How the hell did things get dangerous in Central? I thought we had the Drachmans pretty much under control."_

"_We did," _said Riza Hawkeye, giving a twitch of her fluffy brown tail. "_They had a back-up plan, though, in the event that they lost the war. They were going to use the old transmutation circle in Central to destroy the city."_

"_We ended up underground, fighting the assassins Drachma send while I tried to destroy the circle. The whole office was down there, fighting in the dark. I don't know what happened to them," _explained Roy, looking away when he mentioned his team. It had been so dark, and they had gotten separated. Roy didn't know if they were even alive. "_Riza went with me to the_ _main room, and while I tried to destroy the circle a fail-safe ended up activating it. The only thing left to do was divert the transmutation to something else. We ended up getting sucked into this wacky place where this dumb pink thing screwed around with our bodies. Misty found us and has been taking care of us ever since."_

"Wait," Max said from his place where he's been watching, near the door. "You guys are from the same place Ed is from? Is that why I can understand you?"

"_I don't know why you can understand us, but yes, we are also from another world," _Riza calmly explained.

"_We were in the military together," _said Roy. "_I was his commanding officer and Riza was my Lieutenant and right hand. I was also a State Alchemist." _Max was surprised by the fact that Ed had been in the military. He said nothing, just standing there and assimilating the new information. Roy, turning back to Ed, said seriously, "_Speaking of alchemy…you can't do it anymore, can you?"_

Ed looked down and was silent for a moment. "_No," _he said at last, quiet as the grave, "_I can't. I tried the first night I arrived here, after I woke up in the Pokémon Center. Nothing happened. I think that I knew it even before I tried. It's like…a thread that been cut. I don't feel the connection to alchemy anymore." _Ed looked up at Roy. "_Was it the same with you?" _he asked quietly.

"_Yes," _said Roy, looking haunted. "_I couldn't feel that connection anymore, the feeling of being centered at my core that was alchemy. I was…cold." _Roy stopped, unable to continue. There was no accurate way to describe the loss of one's alchemy. It was like a piece of your soul had been ripped away, leaving behind an empty hole. You never felt quite the same again.

"_Ed," _Riza asked in a voice of quietly dawning horror, "_Why isn't Alphonse with you?"_

Ed didn't answer.

"_Edward," _said Roy, looking worried as he spoke slowly and clearly. "_Where is Al?" _Ed began to shake, looking down at the ground. He was breathing hard, trying to fight back his uncertainties and his fears. Here were the two people who had been friend and mother and father to him. There were no two people he would rather have with him, or two he would have wished more to be spared this awful fate. They were all trapped now, stuck together in a world that was not their own.

"_I don't know," _he said, shaking. "_I don't know where he is!" _Everything that he had been holding back was forcing its way out, and tears were trickling into his fur. "_I saw Envy kill him. I thought he was dead! But now he's here, somewhere, and I need to find him! I need to know that he's alright, see it with my own eyes, because that's the only way I can believe he's still alive!" _His golden eyes were dark with grief and uncertainty. Hawkeye walked slowly forward; resting her chin on the shoulder of the boy she had long considered her son. Roy on his other side did the same, because the one thing he could not stand to see was Edward's pain. Ed and Al were _his, _his to protect and he had failed them. Roy's heart was breaking. There were so many uncertainties, so many things he did not know.

"_We're here now, Ed," _Roy said gently, pulling him as close as he could.

"_You're not alone anymore," _said Riza, nuzzling the side of his head. Ed just stood there, leaning against the two of them as silent tears ran down his face.

"_He was dead," _Ed muttered into Hawkeye's creamy brown fur. "_He was dead and oh god, I didn't know what I was going to do!" _All three of them stayed close, taking comfort from one another. They all cried silent tears, Roy for the people he had left behind, maybe for dead, Riza for the sons she had almost lost, and Ed for his brother and the relief that he wasn't alone. No matter what else might happen in the future, they had each other now. Together, they might better weather the storm of misery that surrounded them, threatening to pull them under into the blackness of despair.

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Reviews make the world go round! Like sunshine dust and tribbles!


	12. While we wander through dreams

I am so sorry! I know it's been, like, nine months since I last updated this story, but my life has been going to hell. I swear my family has been to the ER twelve times this year. I'm making it up to you by finally creating the party fic I told you I'd write. It's not much, but at least it's finally written. Thank you to all who have reviewed, favorite, or alerted this story, because you really gave me the kick in the butt that I needed to get writing again. And also, if I make any mistakes regarding information or spelling or whatever, I'm sorry. My beta hasn't read this story yet (darn you Showpeople!), but I'll try my best! Just point it out to me and I'll go back and fix it.

Without further ado, Thief of Black Winged Hearts is back in business!

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Chapter Twelve

Ed sighed as he stared at the ceiling of the bedroom he was currently sharing with Ash. He wasn't being the best roommate as of right now. After coming into the house, they had to spend an awkward hour listening to Ash and Misty scream at each other. After Ash violently left the house, storming out and slamming the door behind him, Misty came down and apologized for their behavior. She then proceeded to be a perfectly pleasant host, and Edward almost wouldn't have known Misty had a temper like that unless he had seen it himself. When Ed had asked Brock and Max about it, they had both laughed and said that Ash was the only one who brought out Misty's temper quite like that. Misty was almost as scary as Winry at this point. Edward shuddered. God, two Winry's in this plane of existence was too much for him to comprehend. Realization washed over him as he remembered that Winry could very well not even be in this universe, let alone this plane of existence. He missed her, he realized, so much it hurt to breathe. It was like two very distinct pieces had been carved out of his life; Alphonse and Winry, leaving two unique holes that could not be filled even if he cared to try.

Trying to distract himself from the sudden pain in his chest, he looked around the room. The dark had taken the pastels and muted them to dull, lifeless colors. Edward noticed that there seemed to be a reoccurring water theme in this house, and wondered what was up with that. He judged the walls to be sea foam green, an almost overly-girly color. Ed looked down at the chestnut floor boards and then up at the white ceiling. He ran a hand over the light wooden trim on the wall next to him, feeling the smoothness of the cold wood. It was a perfectly lovely room by anyone's standards, but Edward felt like the walls were closing in around him. He gave a quick glance at Ash to see if he was asleep. He could barely see his mess of spiky black hair from beneath the covers, where Ash was curled in a little ball. Ed doubted that Ash was really asleep, seeing as he slept just about as often as he did (meaning never), but regardless he crawled out of his chair in the corner and slipped out the open door.

Ghosting through the house on silent feet, Edward both admired the decor and looked for a way he could get outside at his current height. Anyone awake would have barely made out a yellow shadow sliding through the doorway and down the hall. Slowly making his way down the stairs, he was surprised to find a light on in the kitchen. Creeping forward, Ed heard the sound of chopping and light humming. Walking forward into the light, Ed looked up and saw Misty dancing around the kitchen, making some sort of dish. Her hair was down, and her blue eyes had a glimmer of a smile in them. Wearing a loose t-shirt and shorts, Edward figured she was wearing pajamas. Ed was struck dumb for a moment, shocked. The way she moved, the way she smiled slightly and hummed while she worked…it was almost like he could see a transparent specter of Winry, dancing through her kitchen while she baked her special apple pie, her golden blonde hair tied up in a loose ponytail. Feeling his chest being ripped apart by what felt like wild animals, Ed turned to quietly leave, eyes filled with sadness. If he wanted to get any sleep, now or any time soon, he was going to have to avoid being in the same space as this strange girl who reminded him of what he'd lost.

"Hello!" said a cheerful voice from behind him, and Ed froze in his tracks. Damn, she even spoke like her! Taking a breath to compose himself, he turned around and faced her.

"_Hello yourself," _he said a little dryly, taking a few steps back into the kitchen. Misty's eyes widened.

"Oh, you're like Roy and Riza! Lucky I'm used to talking Pokémon or this would be really weird," said Misty calmly, continuing to chop up some strange looking vegetable. Ed was impressed. The others, when confronted with his odd speech abilities, had reacted with shock or fear. While it was true that she had had Roy and Riza to prepare herself, the girl still had guts. Again, the similarities between Misty and Winry caused his heart a little spasm of pain. Ed needed to shake this off if he was ever going to be able to function around this girl, so he laboriously clambered onto the counter and sat down.

"_You seem like a good cook," _Ed said, trying to make an offhand comment to provoke some sort of conversation. If he could make it through this conversation he could prove to himself that he could face his demons. At least, eventually.

"Not really. I've just had a lot of practice. I'm not good at the things I haven't done a million times before," said Misty with a small laugh, turning around to grab some weird vegetable (or fruit, or mineral for all Ed could tell) and set it on the chopping board. It was an odd root thing, pale green with lavender spots. Ed poked it with a paw repeatedly until Misty grabbed it away from him. "It's not a toy, its food," she scolded Ed, turning back and chopping the root neatly into three sections. She then cut each third into quarters before tossing the chunks into a bowl with more assorted plant pieces.

"_That stuff looks far too weird to eat,_" Ed remarked, looking at the bowl inquisitively.

"I give this mixture to my Pokémon all the time," Misty remarked, taking a wooden spoon and giving the bowl a good stir. "It keeps them healthy and makes them grow stronger."

"_You seem to care for your Pokémon very much," _said Edward, swinging his legs absentmindedly as they dangled over the edge of the counter. "_Do all trainers care for their Pokémon like that?" _

"Not everyone," said Misty, anger flaring briefly in her cerulean eyes. "There are always those people out there who like to hurt those weaker that they are, or who just don't care. But thankfully they are far outnumbered by the people who regard Pokémon as friends and equals."

"_How does that work when you can't talk to each other?" _asked Edward, both because he was genuinely curious and because this conversation was keeping the dark shadows in his mind at bay. Here in the brightly lit kitchen, it was much harder for memories to make their way back into his head. Something about light and company sometimes did that to him.

Misty seemed to consider the question, pausing in her work to think through her reply. "I guess," she said thoughtfully, "When you get to know each other the way me and my Pokémon know each other, words aren't really necessary. Even if I had the ability to talk to them, the words might just get in the way." Then, seeming to disregard the whole question entirely, as if communication without words was entirely normal, she turned back to slicing up a yellow, light bulb shaped fruit. Ed pondered that for a moment, thinking about that kind of bond, one that he had only shared with one other person. He knew all about the kind of bond that simply didn't require words. You just automatically understood the other person, sometimes through a simple glance or touch. That was all it had taken for him and Al.

Pain lanced through Ed's chest, causing Ed to reflexively place a paw over his heart. He felt a wave of memories that he was trying so hard to forget rise up to attempt to engulf him. Just push through the pain, he told himself. Al isn't dead. He's alive out there, somewhere, waiting to be found. He told this to himself, over and over, until he could push his brother's final screams out of his head, until he couldn't see his brother's mangled, empty body lying before him on the dirty ground, until he couldn't taste his own blood on his tongue. If he could just find his brother, he could right all the wrong that had ever happened to the both of them, and then they could be a family again.

"_I can get that," _Ed said quietly, quickly looking her in the eyes before looking away. Wanting to change the topic, he glanced around, not seeming to find anything but the obvious. "_So…you've known Ash for a long time, right?"_

Misty paused in her cooking for a second before going back to chopping and mixing. "Sometimes I don't know if I've known him for too long or for too short a time," she murmured, slicing a vegetable in half with a little more force than was necessary. "Often I think I understand him, and then he does some stupid, brainless thing that makes me reconsider."

"_So you were there," _Ed said, more of a statement than a question.

"Oh yeah, I was there," said Misty angrily, giving a little flick of her head like she was trying to shake off an annoying fly. "And I'll tell you, of all the stupid things I've seen him do…" Misty sighed, the fight going out of her in an instant. " That one sure takes the cake," she said. Turning away from the chopped vegetables, she looked at Ed almost accusingly. "You should go back to bed. You don't get nearly enough sleep."

Ed correctly interoperated this as 'get the hell out of my kitchen' and hopped gracefully off the counter. He couldn't blame her. He wouldn't want some nosy interloper prying information out of him either. Turning back, he said, "_Good night._" Walking out of the kitchen, he pretended he didn't see the white knuckles that were grasping the counter's edge with an iron edge. Ed had seen too many people fall apart. It was time for him to start putting things back together. A little voice in the back of his head that sounded like Al was telling him it was just like him to try and fix everything, but he really couldn't help that. He had lots of experience with putting things back together, and he knew firsthand that sometimes you can't do it on your own. Besides, he thought with a grin, maybe if he focused more on their problems he could spend less times on his own.

Crawling up the stairs, he saw his reflection in the sliding glass door on the second level, the one that led to the deck. The moonlight cast his yellow fur in a silvery glow, turning the bright yellow into the faintest of gold's. His eyes were undeniably his, with his trademark golden irises. But the rest of him was so foreign that it still took him a couple seconds to realize it was him. The ears, the tail, they both felt like his own now, but he really wasn't used to seeing himself. Putting a paw up to the sliding glass door, for one split second he saw what he used to be. But he didn't regret at all. Not one bit.

Ed had only just realized this, but if he could never get out of this body, if this was how he was going to stay forever, as long as he had Al he could be happy like this. He had his arm and leg back, and he had people over here he cared for, and who cared for him. He _knew_ Al was here, and once he found him things would be good. The war and everything that had happened before and during the conflict was slowly tearing away at Ed, and if he had stayed another six months it wouldn't have been long before he'd have gone AWOL.

A person can only take so much, and being used as a human weapon of mass destruction didn't make high on the list of things he wanted to do.

The only problem was Winry. He didn't know what he felt for Winry. Was she a friend, was she someone he would have loved for the rest of his life? He didn't know, and he regretted the fact that now they would never find out. But the fact remained; she was one of the few irreplaceable things in his life. Life would go on, but Ed didn't think he would ever feel the same way he felt when he'd had his whole makeshift family together.

He wanted her back, but that would never happen, now would it?

Turning from the window, Ed slowly walked down the long hallway in the moonlight. Sneaking in through the bedroom doorway, Ed turned and looked up at Ash's bed. For once, it actually looked like he was asleep, his hand on his stomach as he breathed deeply and easily. _He sleeps kind of like I do, _Ed noted with amusement, jumping up into the soft chair he was now using as a bed. He had tried sleeping with blankets, but his fur had kept him entirely too warm for his tastes. So now he slept as he was, curled up in a way that felt almost as natural as breathing. Yet when he fell asleep this way, he still woke up sprawled out like he was on the train from Central to Resembool. It was odd the way his body's instincts meshed with his currently existing memories and habits.

The house was so still it was like the whole structure was holding its breath. _It's long past the time when I should have gotten my shit together, _Ed thought to himself before he too dropped into sleep, the moon lighting his fur until it shone a gentle gold in the night.

* * *

_Ash watched the lazy sun travel by, the bright light of the sun making the city hot and almost unbearable. Somewhere near by a fountain spattered and gurgled, the gentle sounds of water falling into water. He was pretty sure he was dreaming, because he had never seen a place quite like this before. The cars looked old, a style from an almost forgotten time, and the buildings were mostly made from brick or stone. Even the people looked different, most in suits or dresses as they went about their daily business. But that didn't stop the city from sparkling, the bustle of people, the high chatter and low roar of conversation giving the street a friendly feel. _

_As he stood there and watched the people go by, he noticed something. The same boy from before, the one with the red cloak and the golden hair, was walking by on the street. Ash would have felt alarm or shock had he been awake, but the dream really didn't warrant such emotions. It's very hard to feel things properly when you dream, as you should know. So, Ash just rocked back on his heels and took a closer look at the situation. _

_He still couldn't quite see the boy's face clearly, but he could see that the boy was much younger than he had been in the previous dream. His shoulders were less broad, and he didn't hold himself with the same weight, like he had seen and done horrible things. At least, if it was there, it wasn't as pronounced as it had been before. As he watched, the boy threw his head back and laughed, looking at the person next to him. Like the boy, the man's face wasn't clear, but Ash could see his general form. It was also the same man he had seen before, the one in uniform in a blood-soaked field. He was tall and had short black hair, paired with well-defined muscles and a walk that screamed authority and arrogance. As the man flashed his face in Ash's direction, the fog cleared enough for Ash to see his eyes. They were a deep sapphire blue, so dark they were almost black, with fire burning strongly in them. This was a man with a purpose, Ash realized, and that purpose was never very far away from this man's mind. _

_Ash sadly wondered if either of them knew what their future held. If only he could warn them, steer them away from that red field of death…but his mouth wasn't working the way it should._

_The two were talking loudly, and Ash drifted closer to try and hear what they were saying. "_You're kidding! You'd never dare ask _her _to the ball. She'd shoot you dead!" _said the golden haired boy. The dark-haired man tossed his head in a scornful move._

"This is coming from the midget who said 'noooo, Winry would never go with me, I'd die if I tried!'" _said the man, his tone mocking. The response from the boy was quick._

"Shut up, old man! That's totally different. At least she grew up with me, making my chances at least decent. The stars would have to align for her to say yes to you, especially with the ridiculous way you choose to hit on her." _the blonde said scathingly, seeming amused and angry at the same time. _

"What makes you think that I haven't known her for that long?" _asked the black-haired man softly, almost menacingly. The boy was unaffected though, seeming to look up at him and asking chillingly, "_Well, have you?"

"None of your business, shrimp," _said the man easily above the boy's sputters and protests. "_You better hope I don't take offense from such a comment and leave you all on your lonesome here. Besides, I'm here as a favor for your brother, since apparently you don't know how to dress yourself properly for a ball."

"Would you just shut up, you bastard,"_ the boy said, exasperated and maybe embarrassed. "_Wanting to look nice every once and a while isn't a crime."

"From the way you dress you'd think it was," _commented the man to the rage of the boy. Ash watched as the small boy tried to pummel the man with little success, but got the feeling this sort of exchange was the way they expressed how they felt to each other. Watching the pair, he smiled. They seemed so happy, so at ease in the small sniping that masked real affection for each other. Suddenly, the two turned to walk away from where Ed was standing. "_Come on, we'll find you the perfect tux yet. They must carry kid sizes somewhere in Central," _said the man, neatly dodging the punch at the arm and the swearing that followed the comment. Then the scene faded._

* * *

Ash woke with a smile on his face for the first time in a while. Sitting up, he stretched his arms towards the ceiling. He froze, realizing that he actually felt happy. It wasn't 'a lot' of happy, per se, but it was more than the 'none' he had been feeling yesterday. That had been some dream! Ash rubbed his head absentmindedly, noting that his hair could use a good brushing. What he didn't get was why he kept having dreams about these people. Both the dark-haired man and the golden-haired boy were familiar in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he knew they were from somewhere.

Looking around the room, he noticed Ed wasn't in the chair that served as his makeshift bed. The sun was pretty high in the sky, so he was probably down at breakfast with the others. He went to the bathroom, coming out five minutes later fully dresses, his hair partially tamed for the first time in months. His steps feeling a little lighter, he pounded down the stairs, smelling Brock's pancakes, one of his favorites. Something that completely slipped his mind was the fact that he had had a roaring fight with Misty the other day, so when he walked into the kitchen he was completely unprepared for the frying pan that was sent flying straight for his face.

"Jeez, Misty!" shouted Ash, his hand over his nose. "Try not to break my nose or anything! I'm rather fond of this nose, so I'd like to keep it the way it is now."

"You're an idiot, Ash Ketchum!" Misty shouted right back, face looking angry for a second before breaking into a smile. "It's good to see you again."

"A frying pan to the face is not the way to say 'I missed you'," grumbled Ash, only to receive a spatula to his right ear.

"I heard that!" roared Misty, brandishing the heavy iron ladle she had seemingly pulled out of thin air (I can do this, it's the right of a fanfic writer to pull random things out of nowhere). Ash huffed with a small smile before grabbing a plate off the kitchen counter. It was nice to be back to their old banter. Looking around, he noticed Brock and Max were conspicuously absent.

"_God, Misty, my ears!_" said the Growlithe on the kitchen floor, the one he had heard Ed call Mustang.

"_You're no better, sir," _said the Eevee next to him primly, daintily washing a paw. Ash remembered her name was Hawkeye.

"_Hawkeye's right, old man, you're pretty loud and obnoxious in your old age," _snarked Ed from his place next to them.

"_Says the brat who breaks my eardrums on a daily basis," _said Roy huffily, but eventually went back to eating his Pokefood.

"Where are Max and Brock?" asked Ash, trying to cut through the argument that was brewing in the kitchen.

"They're out with their Pokémon," Misty replied, cleaning dishes in the sink. Ash shook his head in amazement.

"It's so hard to remember that Max is a Pokémon trainer now," Ash said in awe. "I keep seeing him as the snot-nosed brat he was back when he joined us."

"Yeah, he was pretty bad back when he first joined, wasn't he?" laughed Misty from the counter.

"_Sounds like another snot-nosed brat I happen to know," _said Mustang, and Ash had to stop Ed from physically launching himself at the smug fire Pokémon.

"_Stop calling me a brat, you stupid jackass of a Colonel!" _Ed shouted, trying desperately to break free.

"_Now who's calling people names?" _asked Mustang, looking away pointedly, obviously trying to goad Ed into a further rage.

"_You're going to get it, Flame!" _shrieked Ed, redoubling his efforts to break free. Ash was now really struggling to keep a hold of him. All of a sudden, a dark pall seemed to sweep across the kitchen, a wave of malevolent darkness that radiated from the kitchen sink.

"Start a fight in my kitchen and I will end you miserable lives," said Misty softly, her eyes glowing a menacing red. Everyone immediately went very still in the hopes of preventing total annihilation. Ash slowly and gently put Ed back onto the counter. He immediately went back to eating like it was his one line to life. On his other side, Mustang was doing the same. Ash looked over and saw Hawkeye and Misty share an eye roll. Hah. Girls.

It was very strange to see more talking Pokémon, but Ash was used to Pokémon talking to him at this point, so he took it into stride and reached for the pancake platter on the counter next them. Just then, the Growlithe, still munching on his food, happened to look up just when Ash reached for a pancake to put on his plate. He found himself staring into dark blue eyes, eyes that seemed to captivate his gaze. Eyes that burned with fire…

It came to him all at once, all in one swift, decisive moment that he had seen those eyes before. They had been on the face of a man he had never seen before in his life, but had seen… in his dreams.

The Growlithe with the wrong colored eyes seemed to smirk at him, and then said, "_Got a problem, spiky?"_

* * *

Short Story: The Ballroom (otherwise known as That Short Party Story I Promised You)

Roy Mustang sighed, leaning his elbow against the railing of the balcony he was looking over. Below him, Central's annual ball was in full swing, with happy couples young and old hitting the floor in their best dress. The orchestra seemed particularly lively tonight, playing the best waltzes of the current period, and all the songs that were in style. The chandelier glistened, and the stairs of the ballroom were wide and majestic. Everything was brightly lit, and the wide doors in the back were open, letting the cool air in and the people who wanted to walk the garden hand-in-hand out. The night was a deep velvet color, making the whole thing seem almost like something out of a fairytale. In short, everything was perfect.

And yet, he was standing there hating every second of it.

He was so utterly and completely bored. He should have come here with some random girl, just so he could have a lady on his arm. That would make things more interesting. Here he was, all dressed up in his best tux, alchemist gloves washed and put on, and he had no one with him. He kept trying to tell himself that it wasn't because he had tried to work up the courage to ask a certain blonde lieutenant to the ball, and had failed. Nope. That totally wasn't it at all. Couldn't be.

Crap. He was bad at lying to himself.

He had really hoped he could muster up the courage to ask Riza to come with him tonight. With her by his side, the night of talking to high-ranking officials in his quest to reach the top would have been more bearable. But he hadn't had the time (courage) to ask her, and now he was stuck by himself. And worse, he knew she was out there somewhere, trying to sell the idea of him to the higher ups because that's the kind of subordinate she was. She would stop at nothing to help him achieve his goal.

So, now he was stuck here, hanging on the banister and twiddling his thumbs, like a little kid looking for something to do. Scanning the crowd for familiar faces, he saw Havoc in his black tux, trying (and failing) to pick up some chick in a red hot dress. Over in the corner Falman and Breda seemed thoroughly entrenched in the bar, trying to avoid talking to people. Fuery was sick that evening, and had an excuse to escape this nightmare of boredom. But, look! Over by the entrance, Edward was standing in the formal wear that Mustang himself had picked for him. He seemed to be looking for someone.

_Ed must have lost Winry already, _thought Mustang. At events like these, with so many people in one space, it was easy to lose the person you came here with in the massive body of people. Mustang had used this fact to his advantage when he wanted to ditch some annoying date he had brought with his a couple years back. It had been as easy as pie, and then he had been off in search of Riza. His head said he had wanted to talk about paperwork, but his heart said he had wanted to make sure she wasn't off having a good time with some guy who wasn't him.

Watching Ed, Mustang saw as Ed's head shot around, apparently locating Winry across the room. Even from this height, Roy saw the big dopy grin that covered Edward's face as he saw the blond girl. Roy couldn't blame him. Winry looked stunning tonight, with her hair piled up on top of her head, wearing a blue backless number that accentuated her tan and her legs. She looked like a goddess come to walk the land of mortals. Ed's jaw had dropped so far it had almost hit the floor when he first saw her walk in the door.

Roy saw Ed dive into the crowd, waving frantically in the hopes that Winry would see him. Roy just chuckled and shook his head. "You're too short, Ed, she's never going to see you," he murmured quietly to himself.

"Having fun, sir?"

Roy almost jumped out of his skin, whirling around to face his lieutenant…who had been transformed from an ice-cold soldier into this pinnacle of femininity. She had let her hair down from her customary bun, letting it flow down her shoulders and onto her back. Her dress was sleeveless and a forest green, the color bringing out the gold of her hair. Her white elbow-length gloves made her look very graceful. The dress was short in the front, going down to just below her knees, but the back was longer, going down to the backs of her calves. She had worn heels, the first time Roy could remember her ever doing so, and they made her almost as tall as he was. Her whiskey-colored eyes seemed to burn into him. She was grace, elegance, and she took his breath away. Beautiful could not begin to describe her.

Roy swallowed sharply, just remembering that breathing was, indeed, something he did on a daily basis. "Is something the matter, Colonel?" the lieutenant asked, her eyes taking him in.

"Nothing too concerning, Hawkeye," said Roy, with a smile used to hide how much he had been shaken. "How has your evening been?"

"As pleasant as always, sir," said Hawkeye smoothly, which he knew meant 'I hated every minute of it'.

"The same for me," he said, and they shared a dry smile. It was almost like they knew what the other was going to say without saying it.

The orchestra slowed, and the announcer called out for the last dance. Roy began to fidget all of a sudden, wishing he had more alcohol in his system for what he was about to do. "Could I have this dance, Ms. Hawkeye?" he asked, suddenly formal in his nervousness. It was understandable. The last dance of the ball was always reserved for the person you would be going home with. Roy didn't want to go home with Riza, per se, but the meaning was still there, lingering in the space between them.

Riza seemed to eye him for a minute, then replied with a small smile, "Of course, Roy." Mutely, Roy held out his hand and Riza took it as he led them out onto the dance floor. He saw Ed waltzing with Winry, his slightly clumsy left leg being compensated by his fighter's agility and Winry's grace. Roy stood there with Riza, slowly putting a hand on her waist while she laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked her right in the eyes and she smiled, something seldom seen that made his heart leap. And all the while that they danced, Roy dwelled on that fact that Riza had, for once, used his first name.

* * *

Hey people! If you want more, I recommend you review. It's seriously the reviews that keep me writing. Thank you so much for your continued support!


	13. A small parade of royai

Hey there, folks! I'm back, with a new chapter! Hooray! Let me just tell you that I was up till midnight last night writing this so I could have it up on the Fourth of July (to all of you who are not from the US of A it's Independence Day in America today!). Much effort was put into making sure another nine months didn't go between the last chapter and this one…really. Believe me. Could these eyes lie to you? Wait, you can't see my eyes. Damnit!

So, let me just say that the end of this chapter gets pretty intense, and I have been ODing on dream sequences lately. Don't worry, I will try to stay away from them in the next chapter. Promise…okay, not really. I don't make promises because I'm evil! Mwahahaha!

Ed: And don't I know it! Stop torturing my character!

Ash: Yeah, me too!

Roy: And me!

Misty: And me!

Artemis: And me!

Me: You're not even in this story! Get out!

Showpeople: And me!

Me: Quiet, you…you beta! Sigh…this isn't even making sense anymore…

(long line of characters and people form, complaining about past and present torture…)

Me: Oh my god, I'm drowning in the sound of people whining! Gahhh! Anyway, hope you enjoy the chap- Tamaki, get off my couch, I haven't paired your precious daughter with your wife! Yet! That story has yet to be written!

Tamaki: Stop pairing Kyouya and Haruhi together you monstrous fanbase! DEATH TO THE OTAKUS! (jumps into the realm of otakku fanfictionspace with a rusty spoon as a weapon)

Me: …well, we're down one idiot now. Oh well.

Anyway…one with the story…god I hate myself sometimes.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

"I still don't see why Misty has to come along," grumbled Ash, only to have afore mentioned person whack him over the head with a spatula she had grabbed off of Brock's backpack. Seeing how Brock had been walking in front of her, it had been a easy target to snag. From his place carefully situated on top of Ash's backpack, Ed chuckled and Ash rubbed his now aching head. "Hey!" he yelped indignantly.

"Don't you 'hey' me," snarled Misty, still wielding the spatula. "It's your own fault for saying nasty things, so don't even try to complain!"

"_She's got a point there Ash," _Ed remarked, which almost got him knocked off of his perch as Ash gave his backpack a rough shake.

"Quiet back there or you're going to lose your free ride, midget," Ash warned, and Edward growled and began to mutter menacingly about how he wasn't short, not really anyway. While Ash appeared to be in a poor temper, if you looked closer you could see the spark of humor in his grey eyes. It had been a while since Misty had seen Ash looking something that even began to approach happy. They had been traveling for three weeks since they had left Misty's house that one morning. Misty smiled as she remembered the scene that had ensued.

_The morning was dark, seeing as the sun had yet to rise. Their search of Cerulean City had turned up no word of strange events, so Ash and company had decided to head out. Everyone had said their goodbyes to Misty the previous night, and Ed had insisted upon the earliest start they could possibly get. He seemed more anxious about finding his brother than ever before. Ash and Brock had noticed several hushed conversations between Riza and Roy when said scarred and strange Pikachu was conspicuously not around, and it seemed the two were torn between wanting to find Ed's brother as fast as possible and making sure Ed was truly alright. The strange Growlithe and Eevee had a determination that almost rivaled Ed's in their concern for the youngest Elric._

_The fog had gently blanketed the low rolling hills that lead away from the house, making it so they lost sight of Misty's cottage in minutes. Ash looked like he had either not gotten any sleep at all, or had woken several hours previously. The dark shadows under his eyes were not getting any darker, but nor were they lightening. It was concerning to the whole group, which Roy had sarcastically dubbed 'The Traveling Committee to Improve Ash's and Ed's Mental Health'. Likewise, Ed's fur had long ago lost its luster, a sign Brock knew as an indicator of poor health in Pokémon in general. Between Roy's casual efforts to keep an eye on Ed after dark and Brock's to do the same with Ash (all right, they both weren't going to pretend that they didn't have a rotating schedule to keep watch over them at night, to make sure neither of them did anything stupid like wander away from camp and fall into a lake), they were both a little less rested than normal. Only Max, being his ever oblivious self and Riza, who had been stopped by Roy from being part of the rotating schedule that didn't exist, seemed their normal, energized selves. As energetic as Riza ever got, anyway. Screw it, this was one tired, de-energized group of traveling trainers and freaky Pokémon. Really._

_So they were all plodding along, kind of in a lackluster manner, seeing as it was somewhere close to five in the morning, when they had heard rapid footsteps from behind. The only people who heard Brock's quiet mutter of 'took her long enough' were Roy, who was curled up in his backpack, and Max, who was walking next to him. Needless to say, Ash and Ed were very surprised to see Misty fly out of the fog, with a backpack slung over one shoulder, and come to a halt when she had reached the group. She took a couple of deep breaths, seeing as she had had to run to catch up to the travelers, then stood up straight and glared at Brock. _

"_How could you let them leave without me?" she said sharply, glaring at the once gym leader. _

_Brock simply shrugged his shoulders. "I stalled for as long as I could," he said, looking completely unsurprised at her sudden appearance._

"_You are really, really bad at stalling," Misty accused._

"_Well, Ed and everyone else were pretty anxious to get going. It's really hard to stall Ed and Ash all at the same time," replied Brock calmly._

_Meanwhile, Ash and Ed had been just staring in slack-jawed amazement at the girl that stood before them. Then Ed came to his senses enough to blurt out, "_Damn it, it's the scary lady! Why me! Everywhere I go I always meet women who can rip me into little tiny pieces. And now, there's one following me around!_"_

"_You'd better believe it!" said Misty with a smug grin on her face. "I could beat you to a pulp in a second and don't you forget it!" _

"_Why are you here!" yelled Ash, looking a little distressed. Whirling around, he began to verbally attach Brock, seeing as even he knew better than to go directly at Misty. _

_After listening to a couple minutes of Ash yelling, Brock simply cut him off by saying, "She really can't turn around now, and I invited her to come with us. So if you really feel like trying to force her to turn around now, be my guest."Ash turned to look at Misty, whose eyes were spelling out something like 'just try and do it', tinged with a hint of murderous intent. So he simply sighed and turned sharply, marching ahead without looking back once. Brock and Misty had exchanged a glance, and Max had smiled up at her. _

"Now spikey-head can make up with his girlfriend," _came a voice from Brock's backpack._

"Shut up, sir," _said Riza from her place on Max's shoulder. She then jumped from Max's shoulder to Misty's arms, preferring the red-headed women to the small boy who talked far too much. Said girl now had a light blush on her cheeks._

"You know you love me Riza baby," _came the voice from Brock's backpack._

"You wouldn't even dare to call me 'Riza baby' if I still had my gun_," said Riza, her voice like a large glacier, or maybe a nuclear winter. Take your pick._

"Oooh, sexy! You used your strict voice," _purred the unfortunate voice from within Brock's backpack. It was at that moment that Riza learned the move Swift, and used if quite effectively, unfortunately for the unwitting victims; Brock and his new backpack. They had had to get a new one at the next town they had passed through, and Ash didn't speak to Misty for the next three days. But gradually, things between them had thawed considerable, settling into something that resembled what they used to have. Before everything had happened. Before their worlds had come crashing down around them. _

Misty shivered, almost remembering that night before catching herself. On long hikes like these, it was hard to not let your mind wander, especially to places that it really didn't want to go.

* * *

Ed looked up at the starry sky, the luminescent lights seeming to wheel above his head. They were camping in the middle of an open field, on their way to the next town. With every town they passed through, Ed found himself getting edgier and edgier. He had _never _been apart from his brother for this long, and it was made worse by the fact that he didn't know if his brother was ok. Every day that passed was another day that Al could be out there somewhere, frightened and lonely and waiting for his brother to find him. Ed couldn't stand the thought of Al having to spend his days in this new and strange world alone.

Everyone was in their sleeping bags now, all of the humans anyway. There were sleeping bags for Pokémon, but that didn't work out too well for the bastard and Hawkeye. There new bodies didn't have opposable thumbs, so they had had to figure out something different. They had settled on small blankets they could throw over themselves. It had taken a couple tries for them to master the trick of throwing the blanket over themselves using only their teeth. Riza had gotten it perfectly after a few tries, but it had taken Roy all night to figure out how to manage it. This was something that Ed had stayed up to watch, and the poor blanket had come close to being burned to a crisp on several occasions, but when he had finally managed it that bastard had looked so smug. This had prompted Ed to say something about old dogs not being able to learn new tricks, and then a minor (major) physical altercation had ensued at sometime close to midnight. The others had not been happy to be woken up that late, and Ed and Roy had had to walk the next day. Their smaller bodies made it difficult for them to keep up with the much larger people who had much longer strides, and by the end of the day the two of them had been exhausted. What was worse, Hawkeye had acted like a drill sergeant the whole time, telling them to keep up the pace and stuff like that. Mustang had bickered back in forth with her so much that they sounded like a married couple. Which was cute because everyone in the office knew they were together, even if they didn't say anything, or show any outward appearance of unusual affection. Everyone in the office was so attuned to each other that they just…knew. Ed smiled to himself as he remembered.

Ed stayed up most nights, trying to avoid sleep the same way he usually did. This had given him ample time to observe the other's sleeping patterns. Ash, for the most part, got about as little sleep as he did. Ed could tell, because Ash was always very tense while he was awake, in such a way that you could see it in the lines of his shoulders, back, and face. Tonight, however, seemed to be one of those rare nights where Ash succumbed to the Sandman. When he slept, Ash's whole body seemed to melt, making you realize how tense he was normally. He slept on his back, sometimes with one arm tucked behind his head, like he had become so accustomed to shielding his head from the hard ground that it had become a habit. But tonight, like most nights when Ash slept, it seemed he was sleeping poorly. He fidgeted and he would sometimes whimper, with that torn expression on his sleeping face. While things were going better for Ash during his waking hours, it all seemed to catch up to him while he was sleeping.

Brock tended to sleep on his side, hugging a pillow or sometimes part of a blanket to his chest. He was the loudest of their group because he tended to talk in his sleep and had a gentle snore. Both Misty and Ash complained it kept them up, but it seemed they actually slept better with it than without it, lulled by the familiar sound. Such complaints, Ed guessed, were just a part of the routine the three had.

Misty was a very quiet sleeper, and very still. She slept curled up on her side, breathing light and easy. She was also one of those people with the miraculous ability to fall asleep seemingly as soon as her head hit the pillow. Ed was a little envious; it always took him ages to get to sleep, when he got there.

Max, being the youngest, was always the last to settle down for bed, filled with resilient child-energy that made it seem like he could power a small factory all on his own. However, once he was settled he was out like a light. He was a fidgety sleeper through, kicking while tossing and turning his way through most nights. He slept with his arms curled to his chest, like he had semi-recently given up sleeping with his teddy bear and still missed it, subconsciously or otherwise.

Roy and Riza were a strange pair, made stranger by the fact that they were Pokémon now. It seemed they still had sleeping patterns ingrained into them by the War in Ishbal and their current (if it was still current, he really wasn't sure) conflict with Drachma. They slept wherever they lay, and were always up with the crack of dawn. Ed sometimes wondered, in the middle of the night when he had way too much to think about, if they had always been that way. They must have had different sleeping patterns, before the war had come around and practically brain-washed away most of their smaller habits. Ed had noticed this in himself as well. It was small things really, like how he would always make his bedding as soon as he got up so it would be ready for an inspection that would never come, or the meticulous way he would now check his gear. War had a way of changing people to suit its own purposes. Maybe that's why Roy and Riza were so close, bonded by combat and loyalty. They knew each other to the point where they would have entire conversations without words, and could move as a single unit without any conscious thought. When one needed something, the other was always there. Ed smiled, thinking about how after a tough or stressful day on their trek to find Alphonse, he would always find them curled up next to each other in a mound of multi-colored fur when the sun rose, breathing in perfect synchronization. They were made for each other, in so many ways.

A flash of light caught Ed's eye, and he turned to see a shooting star streak across the heavens. While Ed had never been really superstitious, wishing never hurt anyone. So, Ed closed his eyes and wished for happiness. He wished, not only for himself, but for Al, for Ash, for Hawkeye and Mustang, for everyone back home, and for Winry. _Please, _he thought, _may everyone manage to find a happy ending in this mess. _

"_Hey look, a shooting star Riza," _Ed heard Mustang say quietly, obviously trying not to wake the others.

"_So it would seem," _said Hawkeye, seeming to be in deep thought.

"_Did you make a wish?" _asked Roy. "_What was it?"_

"_You know as well as I do that if I tell you, it won't come true," _said Riza with a hint of a laugh in her voice. Ed perked up, seeing as the Lieutenant laughing was a rare, almost unheard of thing. It was probably because Roy was there. Did he really make her that happy?

"_I know what I wished for_," said the Colonel, gently. "_I wished that I would never have to leave you. For any reason at all. So many people around us have been losing everything, in the war and outside of it, and I just don't want to lose you. I don't know what I would do without you, Riza."_

Ed knew that this was a private conversation between the Colonel and the Lieutenant, so he squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to listen. Like that helped any.

There was a pause before Riza replied. "_Aren't you going to jinx it by telling me? Isn't that the whole point? You idiot," _she said, but the tone was so happy it took all the bite out of the insult.

"_There are some things that need to be said to make them true," _said Roy, an undercurrent of some sort of intensity in his voice.

"_That is true," _said Riza thoughtfully, and they lapsed into silence for a while. The minutes ticked on, and Ed felt a sense of relief that the conversation was over. He wasn't supposed to be hearing any of this!

"_You know…I was going to ask you to marry me," _said Roy into the silence, and the way his voice broke made it sound like he was on the edge of tears. _Can Pokémon cry_? Ed wonders, but something inside of him twists at the sound of Roy's voice. It was only in these moments that Ed could force himself to acknowledge that Roy Mustang was more than what Ed tended to let himself see. It had taken Ed the longest time to figure out that Roy _did _care, about a lot of things, chief among them being him. He had rejected it thought, scared by the prospect, and had forced himself to keep seeing him as the bastard who gave him paperwork and made fun of his stature. But Roy was more than that, and Ed couldn't let himself keep seeing that because he was so damn scared. He had figured out early on, if you got attached to something it hurt more when it was taken away. Life had pounded that lesson into him over and over, until sometimes that was all he could see. It made him afraid to get attached, afraid to acknowledge that Roy and Riza loved him in the fierce way that parents love their children. In the past, he had told himself, _no one can replace Mom _and _Dad was a bastard anyway_, but they had creeped up on him. Slowly but surely, their kindness had melted him enough to ask them for help, sometimes, when he needed it, or to, sometimes, talk to them when he needed to sort out his troubles. Sometimes. But every time he did, they smiled in such a way that told him that was enough.

Well, Riza smiled. Sometimes. And Roy was more likely to call him a runt or sent him on some obscure mission that was really a front for Ed and Al to get some R and R (rest and relaxation or research and rapid chases, whichever was needed at the time). So maybe they were all right for each other after all.

"_That would have made me very happy," _Riza said, sounding like the words were breaking her heart a little as they left her mouth. Ed's heart wrenched. Of course, they could never be together in the way that they used to be, not in these bodies. It just would never work. Ed didn't know what he would do, if he were in their shoes. They were together, but what they had was never going to be enough. There was a brief pause before Riza continued. "_Sometimes, thought, the thought really does count for quite a lot. I mean it."_

Translation: It doesn't matter. We are still here, together, and that's all that matters to me.

"_Really?" _asked Roy.

Translation: Can this really be enough for you? Can you truly be happy like this?

"_Yes Roy. You will always be enough for me_."

Translation: I love you.

"_And you for me_."

Translation: I love you too. With all of my heart.

And then the silence came, encompassing the night and all of the creatures dwelling in it. Engulfed in the stillness, Ed found himself slipping into slumber, not noticing the tear that had slipped from him cheek and tumbled to the dusky earth below.

* * *

_Ash was there again. This didn't surprise him, he dreamt about it almost every night, but it never ceased to horrify him. The rain poured into the muddy canyon, getting in his eyes as he ran as fast as his body would let him. He could see that streak of yellow darting along the ground, chasing after his hat, he knew. Ash tried to call out, but as usual, his voice had left him and he made no sound. All he could do was run as fast as he could, in the hopes of catching up to his partner before the mudslide came. _

_Pound!Pound!Pound! His feet slapped against the raw, wet, earth, sinking down as if nature itself was trying to stop him. The faster he tried to run, the slower things seemed to get until he was running through the quicksand that was time. And as the world slowed around him, he saw the canyon crumble, and the earth swallowed that darting flash of yellow in the path before him. _

_Suddenly, time snapped back into its proper place, and Ash was running full-tilt towards the pile of earth that would serve to double as a grave. He launched himself at it, clawing his way towards the spot where he had last seen his Pikachu, his best friend. Fingers were tearing at the ground, desperately trying to split the earth beneath their hands. They dug until the mud and the blood mixed together, feeding the ground with red iron as his own breath rasped in his ears. Then, there he was, all golden yellow smeared with the earth, broken and bleeding. _

_Ash gently picked the yellow body up, moving to cradle it in his arms. Mud caked the yellow fur, turning it brown and dirty. Wiping a clod of dirt away from that yellow muzzle, he froze. _

_This was not his Pikachu. This was Ed._

_Ed opened his eyes a little, blood oozing from a gash on his forehead. "_Ash," _he breathed. "_My brother…find my brother. Please." _Then, astonished, Ash watched the life leave those haunted golden eyes, and Ed was no more. _

_Before he could even begin to process what he had just seen, the scene before him began to shift and blur, collapsing inward and then exploding outward into a different place and time. _

_At first, all he could register was the sight of red blood, coloring everything the eye could see. Then, the masses all around him became clearer, and Ash realized he was on a battlefield. No, that wasn't accurate. He was on a field of slaughter. _

_All of the men were wearing white, furred uniforms, blurring and blending as they battled on a field of snow and ice. Ash recognized the field from one of the odd dreams he had had. Only this time, he could see the men fighting, moving in as if they were trying to destroy a target in the center of the mass of people. Then the smoke cleared from a cold, chilling wind, and Ash saw the boy._

_He was the same boy from before, the one with the red coat and golden hair. But now, he was something else. He was death and destruction in motion, a blur of red coat and flashing steel. No man could match him on the field, and any who could not match him fell to his deadly shining blade. The spray of red every time he killed was like horrible red flowers blooming in the snow. Others, from further up on a hill, were trying to barrage him with bullets. But, Ash saw sparkle of blue electricity, and all of a sudden the ground beneath the men had turned to deadly spears of ice. _

_They died. They all died._

_The tumult drew closer to where Ash stood, rooted to the spot in the swarming mass of bodies. Hundreds were dying each minute, killed either by the boy's spears of ice or by his blade, and still the white men kept coming. They were closer now, close enough that Ash could hear the boy's battle cries, and the dying screams of soldiers fallen. _

"_For my country! For Drachma!" yelled one of the men as he charged, only to be felled by the boy's singing iron blade. _

"_Why are you doing this?" screamed another as he faced the whirling red boy. With a roar the boy spun, and the man simply collapsed upon the ground, silent._

"_We only do this for our country! For our families!" cried one of the soldiers further back._

_The boy stood square on his feet, blade making another fell swoop into the oncoming crowd. "Why do you think I do this?" he screamed, red blood flying from his blade. "I do this for Alphonse!" He stabbed into the crowd. "For Winry!" Stab. "For Granny!" Stab. "For Nina!" Stab. "For my superiors!" Stab. "For my subordinates!" Stab. "For everybody!" His cry was so wretched, that the soldiers instinctively stepped back. The lone boy, covered in blood, stood before them. "I fight so they won't have to fight! You'll die so they won't have to die! So DIE!"The boy's roar was so mighty, the soldiers fell back further. It was only for a moment, then the slaughter began anew before the ringing trumpet sounded over the din of the battle, and the men in white retreated until the boy was left standing, panting, in a field of blood and corpses. Then, the boy fell to his knees and screamed, screaming and screaming until his simply collapsed, like one of the dead._

_Ash saw something he had never even begun to fathom before, reached an irrevocable understanding. This was war. And war was hell like he had never known it before._

_Off in the distance, a man picked his way through the field of bodies and red death flowers until he reached the boy. With a start, Ash recognized him. It was the dark-haired man. It was Roy. He crouched down next to the boy. "Have you given up?" he asked the golden-haired boy, still covered in red. "Have you reached the end of life? Is Al no longer worth anything? Is Winry no longer worth anything? Get up," Roy ordered, rising to his feet. "We are human weapons. We fight so that hundreds of thousands of other men won't die. We fight so everyone we love will not have to die. Never forget what it is we fight to protect. Not our pride, not our honor, and not even our own lives. We fight for our country and for all the ones in the world we love. So stand up, Edward!" The boy was rising to his feet. "Stand up and take your mantle, for we stand between our country and destruction! Stand, and never forget who it is we are fighting for!"_

_As shock and realization flowed through him, Ash saw the boy's eyes for the first time, and they were the burning eyes of gold that he knew well._

"_I won't," said Edward, eyes a blaze of fire as he wiped the blood from his face, determination emanating from every pore in his body. "I won't."_

* * *

Ash woke with a start, shaking, sweat pouring from every pore in his body. He gasped for breath, realizing they were still in the dark of night. With shaking hands he carded his fingers through his sweaty hair.

What was that? Was that real? Could these be memories, memories from one of his companions? Or was he just making this all up in his head? Ash couldn't figure it out. But there was one thing he knew for certain. He had recognized Ed and Roy. Their eyes were the same in his dream as they were out here. Or was that just his imagination? He wasn't sure. But whatever the case may be, Ash had an uneasy feeling these dreams were more than just dreams. Trying to convince himself otherwise, he lay in his sleeping bag, shaking, waiting for the dawn to come.

* * *

Told you there'd be intensity. Can't say I didn't warn you. Let me just say this chapter is dedicated to all the soldiers, past and present, who gave their lives to help make this country what it is today. For your sacrifice, I thank you. I would also like to thank all soldiers currently in active duty and all veterans who have given a good part of their lives to this country. For your bravery and service I thank you. I have a good friend who will be going into the military as a fighter pilot and I worry to death about her. So thank you, one and all!

If you review, the chapters really do get dome faster. Really. I can't say it enough. So DO IT! The power of Edward Elric's antennae compels you!


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